Frequency-specific dynamic characteristics of brain networks during salt taste perception: an EEG-based functional and effective connectivity analysis

Salt taste is one of the five basic taste modalities, yet its central processing mechanisms at the level of functional connectivity and directional information flow remain poorly understood. In this study, scalp EEG electrodes were functionally parcellated into four functional subnetworks: the Gustatory Perception Subnetwork, Emotional Association Subnetwork, Cognitive Evaluation Subnetwork, and Multisensory Integration Subnetwork. EEG data were collected from 20 healthy participants under a water baseline and five NaCl concentrations. Phase locking value (PLV), graph-theoretical analysis, and partial directed coherence (PDC) were employed to examine salt-induced phase synchronization, network integration, and directional information flow, respectively, across δ to γ bands. Results showed that salt stimulation significantly enhanced whole-brain and inter-subnetwork phase synchronization (p Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11571-026-10558-5.