A first taste of black coffee can be surprisingly unpleasant. Its sharp bitterness is the kind of flavor our brains are naturally inclined to avoid. Yet millions of people eventually come to enjoy that same taste, often looking forward to their morning cup. What changes?
Scientists at UC San Francisco may have uncovered an important part of the answer. Their research reveals a little-understood dopamine pathway linking the digestive system and the brain, helping explain how we develop a liking for certain flavors through repeated experience.
Dopamine is a chemical messenger involved in motivation, reward, and learning. Researchers have long known that it helps the brain recognize experiences worth repeating. However, most studies have examined rapid dopamine signals that appear within seconds of encountering something rewarding, such as the sight of a favorite meal.
The new research, published November 4 in Nature, examines a different system. This slower pathway responds to information coming from inside the body, allowing the brain to learn about the benefits of food after it has been consumed.
Source: ScienceDaily - Neuroscience — Read the full article on the original site ↗