Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that the insular cortex has a significant role in pain identification and information integration, while the default mode network is associated with cognitive and memory-related aspects of pain perception. However, changes in the functional connectivity between the default mode network and insula during pain remain unclear. This study use...

How do we empathize with others? A mechanism according to which action representation modulates emotional activity may provide an essential functional architecture for empathy. The superior temporal and inferior frontal cortices are critical areas for action representation and are connected to the limbic system via the insula. Thus, the insula may be a critical relay from action representation ...

In the last few years, the insula has been the focus of many brain-imaging studies, mostly devoted to clarify its role in emotions and social communication. Physiological data, however, on which one may ground these correlative findings are almost totally lacking. Here, we investigated the functional properties of the insular cortex in behaving monkeys using intracortical microstimulation. Beha...

Although rare, epilepsy arising from the insula may produce ictal manifestations that can mimic temporal and extratemporal semiologies. If unrecognized, this might lead to some epilepsy surgery failures. Seizures originating in the insula (insular epilepsy) produce semiologies such as sensation of laryngeal/ chest discomfort, contralateral widespread unpleasant somatosensory auras, oro-alimenta...

Disturbances in recognizing facial expressions of disgust have been reported previously in pre-symptomatic and manifest Huntington's disease. Given the substantial role of the insula and basal ganglia in the perception of disgust as revealed by functional imaging, lesion studies and intracerebral recordings, we propose dysfunction within the insula and/or basal ganglia as the underlying neural ...

The anterior insula is a multifunctional region involved in various cognitive, perceptual and socio-emotional processes. In particular, a portion of the left anterior insula is closely associated with working memory processes in healthy participants and shows gray matter reduction in schizophrenia. To unravel the functional networks related to this left anterior insula region, we here combined ...

Anticipation is a central component of anxiety and the anterior insula appears to be an important neural substrate in which this process is mediated. The anterior insula is also thought to underlie the interoceptive representation of one's affective state. However, the degree to which individual differences in anticipation-related insula reactivity are associated with variability in the subject...

Background: Group cognitive behavior therapy (GCBT) is an effective treatment in improving self-management behaviors and quality of life for asthmatic patients. However, the mechanisms by which GCBT improves asthma-related clinical symptoms remain unknown. Previous studies have indicated that insula is an important region involved in the neuropathology of asthma. Therefore, we examined the poss...