Identifying brain areas responsible for food odor processing

A study conducted by Nodoka Oka et al. was published in the Frontiers in Neuroscience.

Food odors are known to strongly influence appetite and eating behavior. Thus, food odors have a special meaning for many species, including humans. However, the mechanisms of how food odors are processed in the brain and elicit different responses from other odors remain unclear. In the current study, we aimed to identify the brain areas responsible for food odor processing using a statistical meta-analysis of olfactory neuroimaging studies. The results revealed that the putamen, a part of the basal ganglia, is selectively involved in food odor processing. Since the putamen is a relay between the sensory and motor cortices, its activation is likely to serve to guide specific behaviors (such as sniffing) in response to food odors. We will continue to deepen our understanding of the olfactory system and contribute to applications such as scent design and healthcare.

Title: The Neural Substrates Responsible for Food Odor Processing: An Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-analysis
Authors: Oka, N., Iwai, K., Sakai, H.
Journal Name: Frontiers in Neuroscience
Published: June 23, 2023
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1191617