Neural Plasticity in the Gustatory System

Sensory systems adapt to changing environmental influences by coordinated alterations in structure and function. These alterations are referred to as plastic changes. The gustatory system displays numerous plastic changes even in receptor cells. This review focuses on the plasticity of gustatory structures through the first synaptic relay in the brain. Unlike other sensory systems, there is a remarkable amount of environmentally induced changes in these peripheral-most neural structures. The most consistent and largest changes occur to stimuli that also impact on homeostatic systems, especially when the environmental manipulation is instituted during early development.