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How does the ventral posterior parvocellular region connect taste signals with the insula and amygdala?
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thalamus
Sagittal section of the human brain, showing structures of the cerebellum, brainstem, and cerebral ventricles.
The ventral posterior parvocellular part (VPPC) of the thalamus serves as a relay station for gustatory (taste) sensation. This region receives secondary taste fibers as well as autonomic afferents originating from the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems.1
To process these signals, the VPPC projects directly to the insula—specifically to the sensory cortex region adjacent to the area representing the tongue—and to the amygdala.1