Neurogastronomy

How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters

By: Gordon Shepherd

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Hardcover | 2 December 2011 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
288 Pages

Age
22+

Dimensions(cm)
24.03 x 16.64 x 2.0

New Edition

Published: 23rd July 2013

Hardcover

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Leading neuroscientist Gordon M. Shepherd embarks on a paradigm-shifting trip through the "human brain flavor system," laying the foundations for a new scientific field: neurogastronomy. Challenging the belief that the sense of smell diminished during human evolution, Shepherd argues that this sense, which constitutes the main component of flavor, is far more powerful and essential than previously believed.

Shepherd begins Neurogastronomy with the mechanics of smell, particularly the way it stimulates the nose from the back of the mouth. As we eat, the brain conceptualizes smells as spatial patterns, and from these and the other senses it constructs the perception of flavor. Shepherd then considers the impact of the flavor system on contemporary social, behavioral, and medical issues. He analyzes flavor's engagement with the brain regions that control emotion, food preferences, and cravings, and he even devotes a section to food's role in drug addiction and, building on Marcel Proust's iconic tale of the madeleine, its ability to evoke deep memories.

Shepherd connects his research to trends in nutrition, dieting, and obesity, especially the challenges that many face in eating healthily. He concludes with human perceptions of smell and flavor and their relationship to the neural basis of consciousness. Everyone from casual diners and ardent foodies to wine critics, chefs, scholars, and researchers will delight in Shepherd's fascinating, scientific-gastronomic adventures.

Industry Reviews

Neurogastronomy is a personal yet magisterial account of the new brain-based approach to flavor perception. Gordon M. Shepherd's panoramic view of science, culture, and behavior is that of a true pioneer of the chemical senses. -- Avery Gilbert, Author of What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life Cooking? It is first love, then art, then technique. Chefs and food lovers alike can benefit from a better appreciation of the phenomena at play throughout the culinary process, from the field to the fork and beyond. This is why flavor is so important, and why Gordon M. Shepherd's well-named Neurogastronomy is such a welcome addition to the literature. -- Herve This, author of Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor Those who make the effort will be rewarded: they'll never look at eating the same way again. Library Journal Shepherd makes an excellent case for neurogastronomy as an important cross-disciplinary field that is likely to motivate a variety of imperatives for our health and well-being. -- Chris Loss Nature Although written for lay readers, this excellent summary of everything people currently know about flavor perception must be considered the latest and most valuable review of research on the chemical senses. Choice Stimulating and informing. -- Israel Rosenfeld and Edward B. Ziff New York Review of Books A work that has the potential for breaking new ground and developing a whole new direction of study. Yum.fi

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Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction Retronasal Smell and the New Age of Flavor	p. 1
Noses and Smells
The Revolution in Smell and Flavor	p. 11
Dogs, Humans, and Retronasal Smell	p. 19
How the Mouth Fools the Brain	p. 28
The Molecules of Flavor	p. 33
Making Pictures of Smells
Smell Receptors for Smell Molecules	p. 47
Forming a Sensory Image	p. 59
Images of Smell: An "Aha" Moment	p. 66
A Smell Is Like a Face	p. 76
Pointillist Images of Smell	p. 85
Enhancing the Image	p. 92
Creating, Learning, and Remembering Smell	p. 99
Creating Flavor
Smell and Flavor	p. 109
Taste and Flavor	p. 117
Mouth-Sense and Flavor	p. 128
Seeing and Flavor	p. 135
Hearing and Flavor	p. 143
The Muscles of Flavor	p. 147
Putting It Together: The Human Brain Flavor System	p. 155
Why It Matters
Flavor and Emotions	p. 165
Flavor and Memory: Reinterpreting Proust	p. 174
Flavor and Obesity	p. 184
Decisions and the Neuroeconomics of Flavor and Nutrition	p. 192
Plasticity in the Human Brain Flavor System	p. 200
Smell, Flavor, and Language	p. 207
Smell, Flavor, and Consciousness	p. 216
Smell and Flavor in Human Evolution	p. 224
Why Flavor Matters	p. 233
Bibliography	p. 243
Index	p. 257
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Neurogastronomy

How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters

At a Glance

New Edition

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

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