Why does salivation occur when a favorite item is imagined?
Salivation occurs when a favorite item is imagined due to the brain's activation of the autonomic nervous system, specifically the parasympathetic pathway. When we think about tasty food, the brain sends signals to the salivary glands to start producing saliva in anticipation of eating. This is a conditioned response, as the brain associates the thought of the favorite item with the pleasurable experience of eating it.