Cortical neurons responding to tactile, thermal and taste stimulations of the rat's tongue.

Responses of 62 cortical neurons were recorded in rats in response to tactile, cold, warm and taste stimuli applied to the tongue surface. Lingual somatic and taste inputs were essentially non-overlapping. Cortical neurons sensitive to tactile and thermal stimulations were situated mainly in the dorsal and ventral halves of the lingual nerve projection area, respectively. Taste-sensitive neurons were located ventral to those neurons, and were well within the chorda tympani projection area.