Background: In order to elicit gustatory event related potentials (gERPs) a special taste delivery system is needed which allows precise control of stimulus onset and duration.
New method: Aim of this investigation was to describe the characteristics, namely onset rise-time step and onset delay time of a recently new taste delivery system based on stepper-motor, computer-driven glass syringes, able to spray pulses of liquid solutions into the mouth.
Results: The measurement showed that the pulse rise time is less than 100 ms and increases with the pulse duration; the delay of the stimulus on a 12 m hose is between 55 ms and 71 ms.
Comparison with existing methods: The gustometer in examination produce a stream of pulses, constituted by a certain number of taste stimuli interleaved among a number of tasteless pulses, moreover the solution is thermos-regulated at internal body temperature. This make the technique appealing for event related procedure in neuroscience investigation related to gustatory tasks.
Conclusion: These results of the time rise measurements confirm the suitability of this gustometer to elicit ERPs.
Keywords: ERPs; Pulse rise-time; Pulse taste delivery.
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