Intro | Facial Nerve | Glossopharyngeal Nerve | Gustatory Nucleus | Papilla | Primary Gustatory Cortex | Secondary Gustatory Cortex | Taste Buds | Tongue | Vagus Nerve | Ventral Posterior Nucleus
Part 1: Image-Mapped Tutorial
Part 2: Matching Self-Test
Part 3: Multiple-Choice Self-Test
The Gustatory Nucleus receives projections from the taste buds of the tongue via cranial nerves VII (facial nerve), IX (glossopharyngeal nerve), and X (vagus nerve). The paired gustatory nuclei are located in the medulla, and are often called the solitary nuclei. Neurons within these nuclei encode the acceptability of a taste as well as its quality. For example, dangerous sour and bitter substances are encoded as bad tasting and are spit out, while life-sustaining sweet and salty substances are encoded as good tasting and are swallowed. The gustatory nuclei send profuse projections to a number of brain regions including the pons, lateral hypothalamus, amygdala, ventral posterior thalamic nucleus, and the primary and secondary gustatory cortical regions. Gustatory projections to the hypothalamus may play a role in the reinforcing effects of sweet and salty tastes when we are hungry.