A gustatory stimulator.

BACKGROUND

In order to elicit gustatory event related potentials (gERPs) a special taste delivery system is needed which allows precise control of stimulus onset and duration.

NEW METHOD: Aim of this investigation was to describe the characteristics, namely onset rise-time step and onset delay time of a recently new taste delivery system based on stepper-motor, computer-driven glass syringes, able to spray pulses of liquid solutions into the mouth.

RESULTS

The measurement showed that the pulse rise time is less than 100 ms and increases with the pulse duration; the delay of the stimulus on a 12 m hose is between 55 ms and 71 ms.

COMPARISON WITH EXISTING

METHODS

The gustometer in examination produce a stream of pulses, constituted by a certain number of taste stimuli interleaved among a number of tasteless pulses, moreover the solution is thermos-regulated at internal body temperature. This make the technique appealing for event related procedure in neuroscience investigation related to gustatory tasks.

CONCLUSION

These results of the time rise measurements confirm the suitability of this gustometer to elicit ERPs.