Journal article
Neural correlates of the emergence of consciousness of thirst
G Egan, T Silk, F Zamarripa, J Williams, P Federico, R Cunnington, L Carabott, J Blair-West, R Shade, M McKinley, M Farrell, J Lancaster, G Jacksons, P Fox, D Denton
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | NATL ACAD SCIENCES | Published : 2003
Abstract
Thirst was induced by rapid i.v. infusion of hypertonic saline (0.51 M at 13.4 ml/min). Ten humans were neuroimaged by positron-emission tomography (PET) and four by functional MRI (fMRI). PET images were made 25 min after beginning infusion, when the sensation of thirst began to enter the stream of consciousness. The fMRI images were made when the maximum rate of increase of thirst occurred. The PET results showed regional cerebral blood flow changes similar to those delineated when thirst was maximal. These loci involved the phylogenetically ancient areas of the brain. fMRI showed activation in the anterior wall of the third ventricle, an area that is key in the genesis of thirst but is no..
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