Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) awarded the University of Connecticut a $564,656 Project Grant beginning June 1, 2026, and concluding March 31, 2031, under the Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program (CFDA 93.173). This research project investigates noradrenergic modulation of cortical taste processing, specifically examining how norepinephrine (NE)-producing neurons in the locus coeruleus influence taste perception and encoding within the gustatory cortex. The research delivers three primary scientific products through integrated experimental objectives: (1) characterization of locus coeruleus-norepinephrine activity patterns during taste anticipation and consumption using fiber photometry to monitor calcium dynamics and NE release; (2) determination of causal impacts on taste encoding through optogenetic manipulation of locus coeruleus output combined with miniscope calcium imaging to assess how timing of noradrenergic input influences neuronal responses and taste representation; and (3) investigation of the locus coeruleus-gustatory cortex pathway's role in shaping taste-guided behaviors through behavioral discrimination assessments.

The research is conducted at the University of Connecticut's Storrs, Connecticut campus and utilizes rodent models to advance understanding of how neuromodulatory systems regulate sensory neural computations. The NIDCD Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program supports biomedical research addressing communication disorders across multiple sensory and communication domains, including taste perception. This project contributes to fundamental knowledge of taste system neurobiology that may inform future interventions for taste dysfunction and sensory processing disorders.