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Cortical mechanisms for the postnatal development of taste preference.

Award Number: R01DC019827
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/15/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2026

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Cortical mechanisms for the postnatal development of taste preference. - Project Summary As animals transition from relying on their mother’s milk to foraging and consuming foods, they experience a large variety of new tastants. These experiences regulate their taste preferences later in life through a process that likely relies on plasticity in neural circuits associated with taste and feeding. The gustatory cortex (GC) is involved in processing taste information. It is required for taste-motivated behaviors and for learning about the chemosensory and affective dimensions of gustatory stimuli. The effects of early experiences with tastants on the development of taste preferences or the maturation of GC circuits has not been investigated. Our previous work in a different sensory cortex demonstrated a central role for inhibitory neurons in experience-dependent plasticity and postnatal circuit refinement. In this proposal, we will take advantage of our previous work and set out to investigate how the maturation of inhibition in GC contributes to the expression of taste preferences. The first part of the proposal will determine how taste preferences mature over the course of postnatal development and assess the role of experience with tastants on the modulation of taste preferences. Our preliminary observations suggest that there is a sensitive period for the experience-dependent modulation of taste preferences that is restricted to the weeks between the time weaning and young adulthood. We will also assess the time course of maturation of inhibitory circuits in GC and their sensitivity to experience with tastants. Finally, we will assess the relationship between the maturation of inhibition and the development of taste preferences using a variety of approaches including enzymatic and chemogenetic manipulations of inhibitory circuits’ maturation. These studies will determine the role of inhibitory circuit in GC in the behavioral expression of taste preferences. While mechanisms underlying learning about the value or physical cues associated with tastes has been investigated in adulthood, the mechanisms leading to such a refined circuit in postnatal development have not been described. The results of these studies will indicate the role of early food experiences in determining taste-based choices throughout life.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $459,347 )
2025	2025	THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK	W5510 FRANKS MELVILLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY	STONY BROOK	NY	11794	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	5	5/15/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$459,347
														Subtotal = $459,347

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $459,347 )
2024	2024	THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK	W5510 FRANKS MELVILLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY	STONY BROOK	NY	11794	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	4	5/8/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$459,347
														Subtotal = $459,347

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $459,347 )
2023	2023	THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK	W5510 FRANKS MELVILLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY	STONY BROOK	NY	11794	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	3	5/4/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$459,347
														Subtotal = $459,347

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $493,347 )
2022	2022	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	WEST 5510 FRANKS MELVILLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY	STONY BROOK	NY	11794	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	6/3/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$493,347
														Subtotal = $493,347

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $493,347 )
2021	2021	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	WEST 5510 FRANKS MELVILLE MEMORIAL LIBRARY	STONY BROOK	NY	11794	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	8/10/2021	NEW	$493,347
														Subtotal = $493,347

Grand Total All Awards = $2,364,735

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Cortical mechanisms for the postnatal development of taste preference.

Award Number: R01DC019827

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/15/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2026

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