Effects of transection of the greater superficial petrosal and te chorda tympani nerves on conditioned taste aversion to sucrose in the hamster.

Abstract

For a further understanding of the gustatory function of the greater superficial petrosal nerve (GSP), effects of bilateral sectioning of the GSP and/or the chorda tympani nerves (CT) in hamsters on discriminating sucrose taste were examined through conditioned taste aversion paradigm. Licking pattern was monitored in experimental and sham control male hamsters. Once the animal was conditioned to avoid 0.1 M sucrose solution by i.p. injection of 0.5 M LiCl, the animal avoided to lick sucrose solution at higher concentration above 0.01 M. The degree of the aversion was significantly decreased when the GSP and/or the CT were sectioned bilaterally. The order of the sectioning effects was GSP+CT>GSP≥CT>sham. These results suggest that the GSP plays an important role for mediating sweet taste information, which is consistent with neurophysiological data in the hamster.