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Taste Evoked Dopamine and Norepinephrine Track Liking in the Human Amygdala

22 Pages Posted: 18 Mar 2024 Publication Status: Review Complete

See all articles by Seth Richard Batten

Seth Richard Batten

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute

Beniamino Hadj-Amar

Rice University

Monica L. Ahrens

Virginia Tech

Mary E. Oster

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute

Alec Hartle

Virginia Tech

Leonardo S. Barbosa

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute

Terry Lohrenz

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute

Jason P. White

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute

Mark Witcher

Virginia Tech

Marina Vannucci

Rice University

Read Montague

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute

William Matthew Howe

Virginia Tech

Alexandra G. DiFeliceantonio

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute

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Abstract

Attributing value to taste depends on the integration of central gustatory signals with reward-related computations. There is strong evidence that the amygdala is a site where such integration occurs. For example, the amygdala has strong reciprocal connections between primary gustatory cortex1,2, gustatory thalamus3,4, and brainstem5. Functional evidence suggests that topographically distinct regions of the gustatory cortex that encode sweet and bitter sensation in rodents project to the amygdala1. Further, human fMRI studies reliably report amygdala activation to taste stimuli6–8, and lesions to the amygdala impair preferences for food cues in humans9. While electrophysiological recordings from human amygdala reveal food-specific valuation encoding in a preference task10, little is known about the neurochemical dynamics in this region. Here we used a novel technology that allows neurochemical measurements on depth electrodes used during standard of care in epilepsy monitoring to measure dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) in the amygdala while people (n = 3) consumed beverages with varying amounts of fat and sugar. We found that DA and NE fluctuations differed by drink condition. Further analysis revealed that DA increases were associated with drinks with high liking ratings, while NE increases were associated with drinks with low liking ratings. Collectively, these findings demonstrate our capacity to monitor sub-second DA and NE signaling in the human amygdala during food intake and represent a first-of their kind test of the translatability of key findings from animal models.

Keywords: Reward, dopamine, norepinephrine, amygdala, human electrochemical recording

Suggested Citation

Batten, Seth Richard and Hadj-Amar, Beniamino and Ahrens, Monica L. and Oster, Mary E. and Hartle, Alec and Barbosa, Leonardo S. and Lohrenz, Terry and White, Jason P. and Witcher, Mark and Vannucci, Marina and Montague, Read and Howe, William Matthew and DiFeliceantonio, Alexandra G., Taste Evoked Dopamine and Norepinephrine Track Liking in the Human Amygdala. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4761073 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4761073
This version of the paper has not been formally peer reviewed.

Seth Richard Batten

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute ( email )

Beniamino Hadj-Amar

Rice University ( email )

6100 South Main Street
Houston, TX 77005-1892
United States

Monica L. Ahrens

Virginia Tech ( email )

Mary E. Oster

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute ( email )

Alec Hartle

Virginia Tech ( email )

Leonardo S. Barbosa

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute ( email )

Terry Lohrenz

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute ( email )

2 Riverside Circle
Roanoke, VA 24016
United States

Jason P. White

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute ( email )

Mark Witcher

Virginia Tech ( email )

Marina Vannucci

Rice University ( email )

6100 South Main Street
Houston, TX 77005-1892
United States

Read Montague

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute ( email )

2 Riverside Circle
Roanoke, VA 24016
United States
540-526-2000 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://research.vtc.vt.edu/employees/read-montague/

William Matthew Howe

Virginia Tech ( email )

Alexandra G. DiFeliceantonio (Contact Author)

Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute ( email )

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