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Niu M, Rapan L, Froudist-Walsh S, Zhao L, Funck T, Amunts K, Palomero-Gallagher N. Multimodal mapping of macaque monkey somatosensory cortex. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 239:102633. [PMID: 38830482 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The somatosensory cortex is a brain region responsible for receiving and processing sensory information from across the body and is structurally and functionally heterogeneous. Since the chemoarchitectonic segregation of the cerebral cortex can be revealed by transmitter receptor distribution patterns, by using a quantitative multireceptor architectonical analysis, we determined the number and extent of distinct areas of the macaque somatosensory cortex. We identified three architectonically distinct cortical entities within the primary somatosensory cortex (i.e., 3bm, 3bli, 3ble), four within the anterior parietal cortex (i.e., 3am, 3al, 1 and 2) and six subdivisions (i.e., S2l, S2m, PVl, PVm, PRl and PRm) within the lateral fissure. We provide an ultra-high resolution 3D atlas of macaque somatosensory areas in stereotaxic space, which integrates cyto- and receptor architectonic features of identified areas. Multivariate analyses of the receptor fingerprints revealed four clusters of identified areas based on the degree of (dis)similarity of their receptor architecture. Each of these clusters can be associated with distinct levels of somatosensory processing, further demonstrating that the functional segregation of cortical areas is underpinned by differences in their molecular organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiqi Niu
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Lucija Rapan
- C. & O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Seán Froudist-Walsh
- Bristol Computational Neuroscience Unit, Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ling Zhao
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Thomas Funck
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katrin Amunts
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; C. & O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; C. & O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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2
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Islam J, Rahman MT, Kc E, Park YS. Deciphering the functional role of insular cortex stratification in trigeminal neuropathic pain. J Headache Pain 2024; 25:76. [PMID: 38730344 PMCID: PMC11084050 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-024-01784-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Trigeminal neuropathic pain (TNP) is a major concern in both dentistry and medicine. The progression from normal to chronic TNP through activation of the insular cortex (IC) is thought to involve several neuroplastic changes in multiple brain regions, resulting in distorted pain perception and associated comorbidities. While the functional changes in the insula are recognized contributors to TNP, the intricate mechanisms underlying the involvement of the insula in TNP processing remain subjects of ongoing investigation. Here, we have overviewed the most recent advancements regarding the functional role of IC in regulating TNP alongside insights into the IC's connectivity with other brain regions implicated in trigeminal pain pathways. In addition, the review examines diverse modulation strategies that target the different parts of the IC, thereby suggesting novel diagnostic and therapeutic management of chronic TNP in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaisan Islam
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Md Taufiqur Rahman
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
| | - Elina Kc
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Young Seok Park
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Korea.
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Fermin ASR, Sasaoka T, Maekawa T, Ono K, Chan HL, Yamawaki S. Insula-cortico-subcortical networks predict interoceptive awareness and stress resilience. Asian J Psychiatr 2024; 95:103991. [PMID: 38484483 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2024.103991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interoception, the neural sensing of visceral signals, and interoceptive awareness (IA), the conscious perception of interoception, are crucial for life survival functions and mental health. Resilience, the capacity to overcome adversity, has been associated with reduced interoceptive disturbances. Here, we sought evidence for our Insula Modular Active Control (IMAC) model that suggest that the insula, a brain region specialized in the processing of interoceptive information, realizes IA and contributes to resilience and mental health via cortico-subcortical connections. METHODS 64 healthy participants (32 females; ages 18-34 years) answered questionnaires that assess IA and resilience. Mental health was evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory II that assesses depressive mood. Participants also underwent a 15 minute resting-state functional resonance imaging session. Pearson correlations and mediation analyses were used to investigate the relationship between IA and resilience and their contributions to depressive mood. We then performed insula seed-based functional connectivity analyzes to identify insula networks involved in IA, resilience and depressive mood. RESULTS We first demonstrated that resilience mediates the relationship between IA and depressive mood. Second, shared and distinct intra-insula, insula-cortical and insula-subcortical networks were associated with IA, resilience and also predicted the degree of experienced depressive mood. Third, while resilience was associated with stronger insula-precuneus, insula-cerebellum and insula-prefrontal networks, IA was linked with stronger intra-insula, insula-striatum and insula-motor networks. CONCLUSIONS Our findings help understand the roles of insula-cortico-subcortical networks in IA and resilience. These results also highlight the potential use of insula networks as biomarkers for depression prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan S R Fermin
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
| | - Takafumi Sasaoka
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Toru Maekawa
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kentaro Ono
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hui-Ling Chan
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Shigeto Yamawaki
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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Kadakia F, Khadka A, Yazell J, Davidson S. Chemogenetic Modulation of Posterior Insula CaMKIIa Neurons Alters Pain and Thermoregulation. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:766-780. [PMID: 37832899 PMCID: PMC10922377 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The posterior insular cortex (PIC) is well positioned to perform somatosensory-limbic integration; yet, the function of neuronal subsets within the PIC in processing the sensory and affective dimensions of pain remains unclear. Here, we employ bidirectional chemogenetic modulation to characterize the function of PIC CaMKIIa-expressing excitatory neurons in a comprehensive array of sensory, affective, and thermoregulatory behaviors. Excitatory pyramidal neurons in the PIC were found to be sensitized under inflammatory pain conditions. Chemogenetic activation of excitatory CaMKIIa-expressing PIC neurons in non-injured conditions produced an increase in reflexive and affective pain- and anxiety-like behaviors. Moreover, activation of PIC CaMKIIa-expressing neurons during inflammatory pain conditions exacerbated hyperalgesia and decreased pain tolerance. However, Chemogenetic activation did not alter heat nociception via hot plate latency or body temperature. Conversely, inhibiting CaMKIIa-expressing neurons did not alter either sensory or affective pain-like behaviors in non-injured or under inflammatory pain conditions, but it did decrease body temperature and decreased hot plate latency. Our findings reveal that PIC CaMKIIa-expressing neurons are a critical hub for producing both sensory and affective pain-like behaviors and important for thermoregulatory processing. PERSPECTIVE: The present study reveals that activation of the posterior insula produces hyperalgesia and negative affect, and has a role in thermal tolerance and thermoregulation. These findings highlight the insula as a key player in contributing to the multidimensionality of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feni Kadakia
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Research Center, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Akansha Khadka
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Research Center, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jake Yazell
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Research Center, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Steve Davidson
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Research Center, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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Sypré L, Sharma S, Mantini D, Nelissen K. Intrinsic functional clustering of the macaque insular cortex. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 17:1272529. [PMID: 38250745 PMCID: PMC10797002 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1272529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The functional organization of the primate insula has been studied using a variety of techniques focussing on regional differences in either architecture, connectivity, or function. These complementary methods offered insights into the complex organization of the insula and proposed distinct parcellation schemes at varying levels of detail and complexity. The advent of imaging techniques that allow non-invasive assessment of structural and functional connectivity, has popularized data-driven connectivity-based parcellation methods to investigate the organization of the human insula. Yet, it remains unclear if the subdivisions derived from these data-driven clustering methods reflect meaningful descriptions of the functional specialization of the insula. In this study, we employed hierarchical clustering to examine the cluster parcellations of the macaque insula. As our aim was exploratory, we examined parcellations consisting of two up to ten clusters. Three different cluster validation methods (fingerprinting, silhouette, elbow) converged on a four-cluster solution as the most optimal representation of our data. Examining functional response properties of these clusters, in addition to their brain-wide functional connectivity suggested a functional specialization related to processing gustatory, somato-motor, vestibular and social visual cues. However, a more detailed functional differentiation aligning with previous functional investigations of insula subfields became evident at higher cluster numbers beyond the proposed optimal four clusters. Overall, our findings demonstrate that resting-state-based hierarchical clustering can provide a meaningful description of the insula's functional organization at some level of detail. Nonetheless, cluster parcellations derived from this method are best combined with data obtained through other modalities, to provide a more comprehensive and detailed account of the insula's complex functional organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte Sypré
- Laboratory for Neuro- & Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Dante Mantini
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Nelissen
- Laboratory for Neuro- & Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Krockenberger MS, Saleh-Mattesich TO, Evrard HC. Cytoarchitectonic and connection stripes in the dysgranular insular cortex in the macaque monkey. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:2019-2043. [PMID: 38105579 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The insula has been classically divided into broad granular, dysgranular, and agranular architectonic sectors. We previously proposed a novel partition, dividing each sector into four to seven sharply delimited architectonic areas, with the dysgranular areas being possibly further subdivided into subtle horizontal partitions or "stripes." In architectonics, discrete subparcellations are prone to subjective variability and need being supported with additional neuroanatomical methods. Here, using a secondary analysis of indirect connectional data in the rhesus macaque monkey, we examined the spatial relationship between the dysgranular architectonic stripes and tract-tracing labeling patterns produced in the insula with injections of neuronal tracers in other cortical regions. The injections consistently produced sharply delimited patches of anterograde and/or retrograde labeling, which formed stripes across consecutive coronal sections of the insula. While the overall pattern of labeling on individual coronal sections varied with the injection site, the boundaries of the patches consistently coincided with architectonic boundaries on an adjacent cyto- (Nissl) and/or myelo- (Gallyas) architectonic section. This overlap supports the existence of a fine dysgranular stripe-like partition of the primate insula, with possibly major implications for interoceptive processing in primates including humans. The modular organization of the insula could underlie a serial stream of integration from a dorsal primary interoceptive cortex toward progressively more ventral egocentric "self-agency" and allocentric "social" dysgranular processing units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias S Krockenberger
- Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Karl Eberhard University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tatianna O Saleh-Mattesich
- Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Karl Eberhard University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Henry C Evrard
- Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Karl Eberhard University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- International Center for Primate Brain Research (ICPBR), Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Cushnie AK, Tang W, Heilbronner SR. Connecting Circuits with Networks in Addiction Neuroscience: A Salience Network Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9083. [PMID: 37240428 PMCID: PMC10219092 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Human neuroimaging has demonstrated the existence of large-scale functional networks in the cerebral cortex consisting of topographically distant brain regions with functionally correlated activity. The salience network (SN), which is involved in detecting salient stimuli and mediating inter-network communication, is a crucial functional network that is disrupted in addiction. Individuals with addiction display dysfunctional structural and functional connectivity of the SN. Furthermore, while there is a growing body of evidence regarding the SN, addiction, and the relationship between the two, there are still many unknowns, and there are fundamental limitations to human neuroimaging studies. At the same time, advances in molecular and systems neuroscience techniques allow researchers to manipulate neural circuits in nonhuman animals with increasing precision. Here, we describe attempts to translate human functional networks to nonhuman animals to uncover circuit-level mechanisms. To do this, we review the structural and functional connections of the salience network and its homology across species. We then describe the existing literature in which circuit-specific perturbation of the SN sheds light on how functional cortical networks operate, both within and outside the context of addiction. Finally, we highlight key outstanding opportunities for mechanistic studies of the SN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana K. Cushnie
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 2-164 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
| | - Wei Tang
- Department of Computer Science, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - Sarah R. Heilbronner
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 2-164 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA;
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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8
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Fathy YY, Jonkman LE, Bol JJ, Timmermans E, Jonker AJ, Rozemuller AJM, van de Berg WDJ. Axonal degeneration in the anterior insular cortex is associated with Alzheimer's co-pathology in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Transl Neurodegener 2022; 11:52. [PMID: 36474289 PMCID: PMC9728006 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00325-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Axons, crucial for impulse transmission and cellular trafficking, are thought to be primary targets of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Axonal degeneration occurs early, preceeding and exceeding neuronal loss, and contributes to the spread of pathology, yet is poorly described outside the nigrostriatal circuitry. The insula, a cortical brain hub, was recently discovered to be highly vulnerable to pathology and plays a role in cognitive deficits in PD and DLB. The aim of this study was to evaluate morphological features as well as burden of proteinopathy and axonal degeneration in the anterior insular sub-regions in PD, PD with dementia (PDD), and DLB. METHODS α-Synuclein, phosphorylated (p-)tau, and amyloid-β pathology load were evaluated in the anterior insular (agranular and dysgranular) subregions of post-mortem human brains (n = 27). Axonal loss was evaluated using modified Bielschowsky silver staining and quantified using stereology. Cytoskeletal damage was comprehensively studied using immunofluorescent multi-labelling and 3D confocal laser-scanning microscopy. RESULTS Compared to PD and PDD, DLB showed significantly higher α-synuclein and p-tau pathology load, argyrophilic grains, and more severe axonal loss, particularly in the anterior agranular insula. Alternatively, the dysgranular insula showed a significantly higher load of amyloid-β pathology and its axonal density correlated with cognitive performance. p-Tau contributed most to axonal loss in the DLB group, was highest in the anterior agranular insula and significantly correlated with CDR global scores for dementia. Neurofilament and myelin showed degenerative changes including swellings, demyelination, and detachment of the axon-myelin unit. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the selective vulnerability of the anterior insular sub-regions to various converging pathologies, leading to impaired axonal integrity in PD, PDD and DLB, disrupting their functional properties and potentially contributing to cognitive, emotional, and autonomic deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Y. Fathy
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Amsterdam UMC, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Section Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije University Amsterdam, O
- 2 Life Sciences building, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Program Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ,grid.5645.2000000040459992XDepartment of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Laura E. Jonkman
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Amsterdam UMC, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Section Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije University Amsterdam, O
- 2 Life Sciences building, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Program Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - John J. Bol
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Amsterdam UMC, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Section Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije University Amsterdam, O
- 2 Life Sciences building, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Program Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Evelien Timmermans
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Amsterdam UMC, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Section Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije University Amsterdam, O
- 2 Life Sciences building, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Program Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Allert J. Jonker
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Amsterdam UMC, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Section Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije University Amsterdam, O
- 2 Life Sciences building, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Program Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Annemieke J. M. Rozemuller
- grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Program Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Amsterdam UMC, Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wilma D. J. van de Berg
- grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Amsterdam UMC, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Section Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije University Amsterdam, O
- 2 Life Sciences building, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, Netherlands ,grid.484519.5Amsterdam Neuroscience, Program Neurodegeneration, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Quabs J, Caspers S, Schöne C, Mohlberg H, Bludau S, Dickscheid T, Amunts K. Cytoarchitecture, probability maps and segregation of the human insula. Neuroimage 2022; 260:119453. [PMID: 35809885 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The human insular cortex supports multifunctional integration including interoceptive, sensorimotor, cognitive and social-emotional processing. Different concepts of the underlying microstructure have been proposed over more than a century. However, a 3D map of the cytoarchitectonic segregation of the insula in standard reference space, that could be directly linked to neuroimaging experiments addressing different cognitive tasks, is not yet available. Here we analyzed the middle posterior and dorsal anterior insula with image analysis and a statistical mapping procedure to delineate cytoarchitectonic areas in ten human postmortem brains. 3D-probability maps of seven new areas with granular (Ig3, posterior), agranular (Ia1, posterior) and dysgranular (Id2-Id6, middle to dorsal anterior) cytoarchitecture have been calculated to represent the new areas in stereotaxic space. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on cytoarchitecture resulted in three distinct clusters in the superior posterior, inferior posterior and dorsal anterior insula, providing deeper insights into the structural organization of the insula. The maps are openly available to support future studies addressing relations between structure and function in the human insula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Quabs
- C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Germany.
| | - Svenja Caspers
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Germany
| | - Claudia Schöne
- C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hartmut Mohlberg
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Bludau
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Germany
| | - Timo Dickscheid
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Germany
| | - Katrin Amunts
- C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Germany
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10
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Fermin ASR, Friston K, Yamawaki S. An insula hierarchical network architecture for active interoceptive inference. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220226. [PMID: 35774133 PMCID: PMC9240682 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In the brain, the insular cortex receives a vast amount of interoceptive information, ascending through deep brain structures, from multiple visceral organs. The unique hierarchical and modular architecture of the insula suggests specialization for processing interoceptive afferents. Yet, the biological significance of the insula's neuroanatomical architecture, in relation to deep brain structures, remains obscure. In this opinion piece, we propose the Insula Hierarchical Modular Adaptive Interoception Control (IMAC) model to suggest that insula modules (granular, dysgranular and agranular), forming parallel networks with the prefrontal cortex and striatum, are specialized to form higher order interoceptive representations. These interoceptive representations are recruited in a context-dependent manner to support habitual, model-based and exploratory control of visceral organs and physiological processes. We discuss how insula interoceptive representations may give rise to conscious feelings that best explain lower order deep brain interoceptive representations, and how the insula may serve to defend the body and mind against pathological depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan S. R. Fermin
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Karl Friston
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, England
| | - Shigeto Yamawaki
- Center for Brain, Mind and Kansei Sciences Research, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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11
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Betka S, Adler D, Similowski T, Blanke O. Breathing control, brain, and bodily self-consciousness: Toward immersive digiceuticals to alleviate respiratory suffering. Biol Psychol 2022; 171:108329. [PMID: 35452780 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Breathing is peculiar among autonomic functions through several characteristics. It generates a very rich afferent traffic from an array of structures belonging to the respiratory system to various areas of the brain. It is intimately associated with bodily movements. It bears particular relationships with consciousness as its efferent motor control can be automatic or voluntary. In this review within the scope of "respiratory neurophysiology" or "respiratory neuroscience", we describe the physiological organisation of breathing control. We then review findings linking breathing and bodily self-consciousness through respiratory manipulations using virtual reality (VR). After discussing the currently admitted neurophysiological model for dyspnea, as well as a new Bayesian model applied to breathing control, we propose that visuo-respiratory paradigms -as developed in cognitive neuroscience- will foster insights into some of the basic mechanisms of the human respiratory system and will also lead to the development of immersive VR-based digital health tools (i.e. digiceuticals).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Betka
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland.
| | - Dan Adler
- Division of Lung Diseases, University Hospital and Geneva Medical School, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Similowski
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMRS1158 Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, F-75005 Paris, France; AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire APHP-Sorbonne Université, site Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département R3S (Respiration, Réanimation, Réhabilitation respiratoire, Sommeil), F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Olaf Blanke
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute and Center for Neuroprosthetics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital and Geneva Medical School, University of Geneva, Switzerland
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12
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Frot M, Mauguière F, Garcia-Larrea L. Insular Dichotomy in the Implicit Detection of Emotions in Human Faces. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:4215-4228. [PMID: 35029677 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional roles of the insula diverge between its posterior portion (PI), mainly connected with somato-sensory and motor areas, and its anterior section (AI) connected with the frontal, limbic, and cingulate regions. We report intracranial recordings of local field evoked potentials from PI, AI, and the visual fusiform gyrus to a full array of emotional faces including pain while the individuals' attention was diverted from emotions. The fusiform gyrus and PI responded equally to all types of faces, including neutrals. Conversely, the AI responded only to emotional faces, maximally to pain and fear, while remaining insensitive to neutrals. The two insular sectors reacted with almost identical latency suggesting their parallel initial activation via distinct functional routes. The consistent responses to all emotions, together with the absence of response to neutral faces, suggest that early responses in the AI reflect the immediate arousal value and behavioral relevance of emotional stimuli, which may be subserved by "fast track" routes conveying coarse-spatial-frequency information via the superior colliculus and dorsal pulvinar. Such responses precede the conscious detection of the stimulus' precise signification and valence, which need network interaction and information exchange with other brain areas, for which the AI is an essentialhub.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Frot
- Central Integration of Pain (NeuroPain) Lab-Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS, UMR5292, Université Claude Bernard, Bron 69677, France
| | - François Mauguière
- Central Integration of Pain (NeuroPain) Lab-Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS, UMR5292, Université Claude Bernard, Bron 69677, France
| | - Luis Garcia-Larrea
- Central Integration of Pain (NeuroPain) Lab-Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM U1028, CNRS, UMR5292, Université Claude Bernard, Bron 69677, France
- Centre d'Evaluation et de Traitement de la Douleur, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon 69003, France
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13
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Myeloarchitecture gradients in the human insula: Histological underpinnings and association to intrinsic functional connectivity. Neuroimage 2020; 216:116859. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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14
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Abstract
Long perceived as a primitive and poorly differentiated brain structure, the primate insular cortex recently emerged as a highly evolved, organized and richly connected cortical hub interfacing bodily states with sensorimotor, environmental, and limbic activities. This insular interface likely substantiates emotional embodiment and has the potential to have a key role in the interoceptive shaping of cognitive processes, including perceptual awareness. In this review, we present a novel working model of the insular cortex, based on an accumulation of neuroanatomical and functional evidence obtained essentially in the macaque monkey. This model proposes that interoceptive afferents that represent the ongoing physiological status of all the organs of the body are first being received in the granular dorsal fundus of the insula or “primary interoceptive cortex,” then processed through a series of dysgranular poly-modal “insular stripes,” and finally integrated in anterior agranular areas that serve as an additional sensory platform for visceral functions and as an output stage for efferent autonomic regulation. One of the agranular areas hosts the specialized von Economo and Fork neurons, which could provide a decisive evolutionary advantage for the role of the anterior insula in the autonomic and emotional binding inherent to subjective awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry C Evrard
- Functional and Comparative Neuroanatomy Laboratory, Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Tübingen, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
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15
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Qadir H, Krimmel SR, Mu C, Poulopoulos A, Seminowicz DA, Mathur BN. Structural Connectivity of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, Claustrum, and the Anterior Insula of the Mouse. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:100. [PMID: 30534060 PMCID: PMC6276828 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The claustrum is a narrow subcortical brain structure that resides between the striatum and insular cortex. The function of the claustrum is not fully described, and while our previous work supports a role for the claustrum in top-down cognitive control of action, other evidence suggests the claustrum may be involved in detecting salient changes in the external environment. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the anterior insular (aINS) are the two major participants in the salience network of human brain regions that activate in response to salient stimuli. While bidirectional connections between the ACC and the claustrum exist from mouse to non-human primate, the aINS connectivity with claustrum remains unclear, particularly in mouse. Here, we explored structural connections of the aINS with the claustrum and ACC through adeno-associated virus neuronal tract tracer injections into the ACC and aINS of the mouse. We detected sparse projections from the claustrum to the aINS and diffuse projections from the aINS to the borders of the claustrum were observed in some cases. In contrast, the insular cortex and endopiriform nucleus surrounding the claustrum had rich interconnectivity with aINS. Additionally, we observed a modest interconnectivity between ACC and the aINS. These data support the idea that claustrum neuron responses to salient stimuli may be driven by the ACC rather than the aINS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houman Qadir
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Samuel R Krimmel
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, School of Dentistry, Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Chaoqi Mu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Alexandros Poulopoulos
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David A Seminowicz
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, School of Dentistry, Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Brian N Mathur
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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16
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Fathy YY, Jonker AJ, Oudejans E, de Jong FJJ, van Dam AMW, Rozemuller AJM, van de Berg WDJ. Differential insular cortex subregional vulnerability to α-synuclein pathology in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2018; 45:262-277. [PMID: 29797340 PMCID: PMC7380008 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aim The insular cortex consists of a heterogenous cytoarchitecture and diverse connections and is thought to integrate autonomic, cognitive, emotional and interoceptive functions to guide behaviour. In Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), it reveals α‐synuclein pathology in advanced stages. The aim of this study is to assess the insular cortex cellular and subregional vulnerability to α‐synuclein pathology in well‐characterized PD and DLB subjects. Methods We analysed postmortem insular tissue from 24 donors with incidental Lewy body disease, PD, PD with dementia (PDD), DLB and age‐matched controls. The load and distribution of α‐synuclein pathology and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) cells were studied throughout the insular subregions. The selective involvement of von Economo neurons (VENs) in the anterior insula and astroglia was assessed in all groups. Results A decreasing gradient of α‐synuclein pathology load from the anterior periallocortical agranular towards the intermediate dysgranular and posterior isocortical granular insular subregions was found. Few VENs revealed α‐synuclein inclusions while astroglial synucleinopathy was a predominant feature in PDD and DLB. TH neurons were predominant in the agranular and dysgranular subregions but did not reveal α‐synuclein inclusions or significant reduction in density in patient groups. Conclusions Our study highlights the vulnerability of the anterior agranular insula to α‐synuclein pathology in PD, PDD and DLB. Whereas VENs and astrocytes were affected in advanced disease stages, insular TH neurons were spared. Owing to the anterior insula's affective, cognitive and autonomic functions, its greater vulnerability to pathology indicates a potential contribution to nonmotor deficits in PD and DLB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Y Fathy
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A J Jonker
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E Oudejans
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - F J J de Jong
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A-M W van Dam
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A J M Rozemuller
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W D J van de Berg
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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17
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Keller SS, Roberts N, Baker G, Sluming V, Cezayirli E, Mayes A, Eldridge P, Marson AG, Wieshmann UC. A voxel-based asymmetry study of the relationship between hemispheric asymmetry and language dominance in Wada tested patients. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:3032-3045. [PMID: 29569808 PMCID: PMC6055618 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Determining the anatomical basis of hemispheric language dominance (HLD) remains an important scientific endeavor. The Wada test remains the gold standard test for HLD and provides a unique opportunity to determine the relationship between HLD and hemispheric structural asymmetries on MRI. In this study, we applied a whole‐brain voxel‐based asymmetry (VBA) approach to determine the relationship between interhemispheric structural asymmetries and HLD in a large consecutive sample of Wada tested patients. Of 135 patients, 114 (84.4%) had left HLD, 10 (7.4%) right HLD, and 11 (8.2%) bilateral language representation. Fifty‐four controls were also studied. Right‐handed controls and right‐handed patients with left HLD had comparable structural brain asymmetries in cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions that have previously been documented in healthy people. However, these patients and controls differed in structural asymmetry of the mesial temporal lobe and a circumscribed region in the superior temporal gyrus, suggesting that only asymmetries of these regions were due to brain alterations caused by epilepsy. Additional comparisons between patients with left and right HLD, matched for type and location of epilepsy, revealed that structural asymmetries of insula, pars triangularis, inferior temporal gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex, ventral temporo‐occipital cortex, mesial somatosensory cortex, and mesial cerebellum were significantly associated with the side of HLD. Patients with right HLD and bilateral language representation were significantly less right‐handed. These results suggest that structural asymmetries of an insular‐fronto‐temporal network may be related to HLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon S Keller
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Roberts
- Edinburgh Imaging, The Queens Medical Research Institute (QMRI), School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Gus Baker
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Vanessa Sluming
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Enis Cezayirli
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Mayes
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Eldridge
- The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony G Marson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Udo C Wieshmann
- The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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18
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Abstract
Pain was considered to be integrated subcortically during most of the 20th century, and it was not until 1956 that focal injury to the parietal opercular-insular cortex was shown to produce selective loss of pain senses. The parietal operculum and adjacent posterior insula are the main recipients of spinothalamic afferents in primates. The innermost operculum appears functionally associated with the posterior insula and can be segregated histologically, somatotopically and neurochemically from the more lateral S2 areas. The Posterior Insula and Medial Operculum (PIMO) encompass functional networks essential to initiate cortical nociceptive processing. Destruction of this region selectively abates pain sensations; direct stimulation generates acute pain, and epileptic foci trigger painful seizures. Lesions of the PIMO have also high potential to develop central pain with dissociated loss of pain and temperature. The PIMO region behaves as a somatosensory area on its own, which handles phylogenetically old somesthetic capabilities based on thinly myelinated or unmyelinated inputs. It integrates spinothalamic-driven information - not only nociceptive but also innocuous heat and cold, crude touch, itch, and possibly viscero-somatic interoception. Conversely, proprioception, graphesthesia or stereognosis are not processed in this area but in S1 cortices. Given its anatomo-functional properties, thalamic connections, and tight relations with limbic and multisensory cortices, the region comprising the inner parietal operculum and posterior insula appears to contain a third somatosensory cortex contributing to the spinothalamic attributes of the final perceptual experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Garcia-Larrea
- NeuroPain Laboratory, Lyon Centre for Neuroscience, Inserm U1028 and University Claude Bernard, Lyon, France; Center for the Evaluation and Treatment of Pain, Hôpital Neurologique, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.
| | - François Mauguière
- NeuroPain Laboratory, Lyon Centre for Neuroscience, Inserm U1028 and University Claude Bernard, Lyon, France; Functional Neurology Service, Hôpital Neurologique, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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19
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González-Arnay E, González-Gómez M, Meyer G. A Radial Glia Fascicle Leads Principal Neurons from the Pallial-Subpallial Boundary into the Developing Human Insula. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:111. [PMID: 29259547 PMCID: PMC5723317 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The human insular lobe, in the depth of the Sylvian fissure, displays three main cytoarchitectonic divisions defined by the differentiation of granular layers II and IV. These comprise a rostro-ventral agranular area, an intermediate dysgranular area, and a dorso-caudal granular area. Immunohistochemistry in human embryos and fetuses using antibodies against PCNA, Vimentin, Nestin, Tbr1, and Tb2 reveals that the insular cortex is unique in that it develops far away from the ventricular zone (VZ), with most of its principal neurons deriving from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the pallial-subpallial boundary (PSB). In human embryos (Carnegie stage 16/17), the rostro-ventral insula is the first cortical region to develop; its Tbr1+ neurons migrate from the PSB along the lateral cortical stream. From 10 gestational weeks (GW) onward, lateral ventricle, ganglionic eminences, and PSB grow forming a C-shaped curvature. The SVZ of the PSB gives rise to a distinct radial glia fiber fascicle (RGF), which courses lateral to the putamen in the external capsule. In the RGF, four components can be established: PF, descending from the prefrontal PSB to the anterior insula; FP, descending from the fronto-parietal PSB toward the intermediate insula; PT, coursing from the PSB near the parieto-temporal junction to the posterior insula, and T, ascending from the temporal PSB and merging with components FP and PT. The RGF fans out at different dorso-ventral and rostro-caudal levels of the insula, with descending fibers predominating over ascending ones. The RGF guides migrating principal neurons toward the future agranular, dysgranular, and granular insular areas, which show an adult-like definition at 32 GW. Despite the narrow subplate, and the absence of an intermediate zone except in the caudal insula, most insular subdivisions develop into a 6-layered isocortex, possibly due to the well developed outer SVZ at the PSB, which is particularly prominent at the level of the dorso-caudal insula. The small size of the initial PSB sector may, however, determine the limited surface expansion of the insula, which is in contrast to the exuberant growth of the opercula deriving from the adjacent frontal-parietal and temporal VZ/SVZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio González-Arnay
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Miriam González-Gómez
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Gundela Meyer
- Unit of Histology, Department of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
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20
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Parcellation of Macaque Cortex with Anatomical Connectivity Profiles. Brain Topogr 2017; 31:161-173. [DOI: 10.1007/s10548-017-0576-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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21
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Connectivity-based parcellation of the macaque frontal cortex, and its relation with the cytoarchitectonic distribution described in current atlases. Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:1331-1349. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1280-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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22
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Reser DH, Majka P, Snell S, Chan JM, Watkins K, Worthy K, Quiroga MDM, Rosa MG. Topography of claustrum and insula projections to medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus
). J Comp Neurol 2016; 525:1421-1441. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David H. Reser
- Department of Physiology; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
- Neuroscience Program, Biomedicine Research Institute; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Piotr Majka
- Department of Physiology; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
- Neuroscience Program, Biomedicine Research Institute; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology; Polish Academy of Sciences; 02-093 Warsaw Poland
| | - Shakira Snell
- Department of Physiology; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Jonathan M.H. Chan
- Department of Physiology; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Kirsty Watkins
- Department of Physiology; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
| | - Katrina Worthy
- Department of Physiology; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
| | | | - Marcello G.P. Rosa
- Department of Physiology; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
- Neuroscience Program, Biomedicine Research Institute; Monash University; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function; Monash University Node; Clayton Victoria 3800 Australia
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23
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Oppenheimer S, Cechetto D. The Insular Cortex and the Regulation of Cardiac Function. Compr Physiol 2016; 6:1081-133. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c140076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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24
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Jezzini A, Rozzi S, Borra E, Gallese V, Caruana F, Gerbella M. A shared neural network for emotional expression and perception: an anatomical study in the macaque monkey. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:243. [PMID: 26441573 PMCID: PMC4585325 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the insula has been described as the sensory “interoceptive cortex”. As a consequence, human brain imaging studies have focused on its role in the sensory perception of emotions. However, evidence from neurophysiological studies in non-human primates have shown that the insula is also involved in generating emotional and communicative facial expressions. In particular, a recent study demonstrated that electrical stimulation of the mid-ventral sector of the insula evoked affiliative facial expressions. The present study aimed to describe the cortical connections of this “affiliative field”. To this aim, we identified the region with electrical stimulation and injected neural tracers to label incoming and outgoing projections. Our results show that the insular field underlying emotional expression is part of a network involving specific frontal, cingulate, temporal, and parietal areas, as well as the amygdala, the basal ganglia, and thalamus, indicating that this sector of the insula is a site of integration of motor, emotional, sensory and social information. Together with our previous functional studies, this result challenges the classic view of the insula as a multisensory area merely reflecting bodily and internal visceral states. In contrast, it supports an alternative perspective; that the emotional responses classically attributed to the insular cortex are endowed with an enactive component intrinsic to each social and emotional behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Jezzini
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Stefano Rozzi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma Parma, Italy
| | - Elena Borra
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma Parma, Italy
| | | | - Fausto Caruana
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma Parma, Italy ; Brain Center for Social and Motor Cognition, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Parma, Italy
| | - Marzio Gerbella
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma Parma, Italy
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25
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Evrard HC, Logothetis NK, Craig ADB. Modular architectonic organization of the insula in the macaque monkey. J Comp Neurol 2014; 522:64-97. [PMID: 23900781 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Revised: 11/30/2012] [Accepted: 07/17/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In order to provide a framework for ongoing analyses of the neuronal connections of the insular cortex of the macaque monkey using modern high-resolution methods, we examined its anatomical organization in serial coronal sections stained alternately with Nissl and Gallyas (myelin) techniques. We observed the same 15 distinct architectonic areas in 10 brains. Within the granular, dysgranular, and agranular regions described in prior studies, we identified 4, 4, and 7 distinct areas, respectively. Across brains, these areas have consistent architectonic characteristics, and in flat map reconstructions they display a consistent topological or neighborhood arrangement, despite variations in the size of individual areas between cases. The borders between areas are generally rather sharply defined. Some areas, in particular the dysgranular areas, appear to consistently contain subtle transitions that suggest possible subareas or modules within the well-delimited areas. The presence of a distinct granular area that straddles the fundus of the superior limiting sulcus over its entire posterior-to-anterior extent is consistent with the available evidence on interoceptive thalamocortical projections, and also with the tensile anchor theory of species-specific cortical gyrification. These observations are consonant with the model of homeostatic afferent processing in the primate insula, and they suggest that discrete modules within insular cortex provide the basis for its polymodal integration of all salient activity relevant to ongoing emotional behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry C Evrard
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
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26
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Simić G, Hof PR. In search of the definitive Brodmann's map of cortical areas in human. J Comp Neurol 2014; 523:5-14. [PMID: 24889330 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Goran Simić
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb Medical School, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
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27
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Almashaikhi T, Rheims S, Jung J, Ostrowsky-Coste K, Montavont A, De Bellescize J, Arzimanoglou A, Keo Kosal P, Guénot M, Bertrand O, Ryvlin P. Functional connectivity of insular efferences. Hum Brain Mapp 2014; 35:5279-94. [PMID: 24839121 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of our study was to explore the functional connectivity between the insula and other cortical regions, in human, using cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We performed intra-cerebral electrical stimulation in eleven patients with refractory epilepsy investigated with depth electrodes, including 39 targeting the insula. Electrical stimulation consisted of two series of 20 pulses of 1-ms duration, 0.2-Hz frequency, and 1-mA intensity delivered at each of the 39 insular bipoles. Rates of connectivity were reported whenever a noninsular cortical region was tested by at least ten stimulating/recording electrode pairs in three or more patients RESULTS Significant CCEPs were elicited in 193 of the 578 (33%) tested connections, with an average latency of 33 ± 5 ms. The highest connectivity rates were observed with the nearby perisylvian structures (59%), followed by the pericentral cortex (38%), the temporal neocortex (28%), the lateral parietal cortex (26%), the orbitofrontal cortex (25%), the mesial temporal structures (24%), the dorsolateral frontal cortex (15%), the temporal pole (14%), and the mesial parietal cortex (11%). No connectivity was detected in the mesial frontal cortex or cingulate gyrus. The pattern of connectivity also differed between the five insular gyri, with greater connectivity rate for the posterior short gyrus (49%), than for the middle short (29%), and two long gyri (28 and 33%) CONCLUSION The human insula is characterized by a rich and complex connectivity that varies as a function of the insular gyrus and appears to partly differ from the efferences described in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talal Almashaikhi
- TIGER, Lyon's Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028, CNRS 5292, UCB Lyon 1, Lyon, France; Department of Sleep, Epilepsy and Pediatric Clinical Neurophysiology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France; Department of Clinical Physiology, Neurophysiology Division, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman
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Barks SK, Bauernfeind AL, Bonar CJ, Cranfield MR, de Sousa AA, Erwin JM, Hopkins WD, Lewandowski AH, Mudakikwa A, Phillips KA, Raghanti MA, Stimpson CD, Hof PR, Zilles K, Sherwood CC. Variable temporoinsular cortex neuroanatomy in primates suggests a bottleneck effect in eastern gorillas. J Comp Neurol 2014; 522:844-60. [PMID: 23939630 PMCID: PMC4195240 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2013] [Revised: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We describe an atypical neuroanatomical feature present in several primate species that involves a fusion between the temporal lobe (often including Heschl's gyrus in great apes) and the posterior dorsal insula, such that a portion of insular cortex forms an isolated pocket medial to the Sylvian fissure. We assessed the frequency of this fusion in 56 primate species (including apes, Old World monkeys, New World monkeys, and strepsirrhines) by using either magnetic resonance images or histological sections. A fusion between temporal cortex and posterior insula was present in 22 species (seven apes, two Old World monkeys, four New World monkeys, and nine strepsirrhines). The temporoinsular fusion was observed in most eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei and G. b. graueri) specimens (62% and 100% of cases, respectively) but was seen less frequently in other great apes and was never found in humans. We further explored the histology of this fusion in eastern gorillas by examining the cyto- and myeloarchitecture within this region and observed that the degree to which deep cortical layers and white matter are incorporated into the fusion varies among individuals within a species. We suggest that fusion between temporal and insular cortex is an example of a relatively rare neuroanatomical feature that has become more common in eastern gorillas, possibly as the result of a population bottleneck effect. Characterizing the phylogenetic distribution of this morphology highlights a derived feature of these great apes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K. Barks
- Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052
| | - Amy L. Bauernfeind
- Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052
| | | | - Michael R. Cranfield
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616
| | | | - Joseph M. Erwin
- Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303
- Division of Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | | | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Rwanda Development Board, Department of Tourism and Conservation, Kigale, Rwanda
| | | | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44240
| | - Cheryl D. Stimpson
- Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10024
| | - Karl Zilles
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- C. & O. Vogt Institute of Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology and Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052
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Straus D, Byrne RW, Sani S, Serici A, Moftakhar R. Microsurgical anatomy of the transsylvian translimen insula approach to the mediobasal temporal lobe: Technical considerations and case illustration. Surg Neurol Int 2014; 4:159. [PMID: 24404402 PMCID: PMC3883274 DOI: 10.4103/2152-7806.123285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Various vascular, neoplastic, and epileptogenic pathologies occur in the mediobasal temporal region. A transsylvian translimen insula (TTI) approach can be used as an alternative to temporal transcortical approach to the mediobasal temporal region. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the surgical anatomy of the TTI approach, including the gyral, sulcal, and vascular anatomy in and around the limen insula. The use of this approach is illustrated in the resection of a complex arteriovenous malformation. Methods: The TTI approach to the mediobasal temporal region was performed on three silicone-injected cadaveric heads. The gyral, sulcal, and arterial anatomy of the limen insula was studied in six formalin-fixed injected hemispheres. Results: The TTI approach provided access to the anterior and middle segments of the mediobasal temporal lobe region as well as allowing access to temporal horn of the lateral ventricle. Using this approach we were able to successfully resect an arteriovenous malformation of the dominant medial temporal lobe. Conclusion: The TTI approach provides a viable surgical route to the region of mediobasal temporal lobe region. This approach offers an advantage over the temporal transcortical route in that there is less risk of damage to optic radiations and speech area in the dominant hemisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Straus
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Richard W Byrne
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sepehr Sani
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Anthony Serici
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Roham Moftakhar
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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Gu X, Hof PR, Friston KJ, Fan J. Anterior insular cortex and emotional awareness. J Comp Neurol 2013; 521:3371-88. [PMID: 23749500 PMCID: PMC3999437 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 427] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2012] [Revised: 04/30/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This paper reviews the foundation for a role of the human anterior insular cortex (AIC) in emotional awareness, defined as the conscious experience of emotions. We first introduce the neuroanatomical features of AIC and existing findings on emotional awareness. Using empathy, the awareness and understanding of other people's emotional states, as a test case, we then present evidence to demonstrate: 1) AIC and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are commonly coactivated as revealed by a meta-analysis, 2) AIC is functionally dissociable from ACC, 3) AIC integrates stimulus-driven and top-down information, and 4) AIC is necessary for emotional awareness. We propose a model in which AIC serves two major functions: integrating bottom-up interoceptive signals with top-down predictions to generate a current awareness state and providing descending predictions to visceral systems that provide a point of reference for autonomic reflexes. We argue that AIC is critical and necessary for emotional awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosi Gu
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom WC1N 3BG
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, Virginia 24011
| | - Patrick R. Hof
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Karl J. Friston
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom WC1N 3BG
| | - Jin Fan
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, The City University of New York, Flushing, New York 11367
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31
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Bauernfeind AL, de Sousa AA, Avasthi T, Dobson SD, Raghanti MA, Lewandowski AH, Zilles K, Semendeferi K, Allman JM, Craig ADB, Hof PR, Sherwood CC. A volumetric comparison of the insular cortex and its subregions in primates. J Hum Evol 2013; 64:263-79. [PMID: 23466178 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2012] [Revised: 11/28/2012] [Accepted: 12/31/2012] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The neuronal composition of the insula in primates displays a gradient, transitioning from granular neocortex in the posterior-dorsal insula to agranular neocortex in the anterior-ventral insula with an intermediate zone of dysgranularity. Additionally, apes and humans exhibit a distinctive subdomain in the agranular insula, the frontoinsular cortex (FI), defined by the presence of clusters of von Economo neurons (VENs). Studies in humans indicate that the ventral anterior insula, including agranular insular cortex and FI, is involved in social awareness, and that the posterodorsal insula, including granular and dysgranular cortices, produces an internal representation of the body’s homeostatic state.We examined the volumes of these cytoarchitectural areas of insular cortex in 30 primate species, including the volume of FI in apes and humans. Results indicate that the whole insula scales hyperallometrically (exponent=1.13) relative to total brain mass, and the agranular insula (including FI) scales against total brain mass with even greater positive allometry (exponent=1.23), providing a potential neural basis for enhancement of social cognition in association with increased brain size. The relative volumes of the subdivisions of the insular cortex, after controlling for total brain volume, are not correlated with species typical social group size. Although its size is predicted by primate-wide allometric scaling patterns, we found that the absolute volume of the left and right agranular insula and left FI are among the most differentially expanded of the human cerebral cortex compared to our closest living relative, the chimpanzee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Bauernfeind
- Department of Anthropology, Hominid Paleobiology Doctoral Program, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
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Frank S, Kullmann S, Veit R. Food related processes in the insular cortex. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:499. [PMID: 23986683 PMCID: PMC3750209 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The insular cortex is a multimodal brain region with regional cytoarchitectonic differences indicating various functional specializations. As a multisensory neural node, the insular cortex integrates perception, emotion, interoceptive awareness, cognition, and gustation. Regarding the latter, predominantly the anterior part of the insular cortex is regarded as the primary taste cortex. In this review, we will specifically focus on the involvement of the insula in food processing and on multimodal integration of food-related items. Influencing factors of insular activation elicited by various foods range from calorie-content to the internal physiologic state, body mass index or eating behavior. Sensory perception of food-related stimuli including seeing, smelling, and tasting elicits increased activation in the anterior and mid-dorsal part of the insular cortex. Apart from the pure sensory gustatory processing, there is also a strong association with the rewarding/hedonic aspects of food items, which is reflected in higher insular activity and stronger connections to other reward-related areas. Interestingly, the processing of food items has been found to elicit different insular activation in lean compared to obese subjects and in patients suffering from an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN)). The knowledge of functional differences in the insular cortex opens up the opportunity for possible noninvasive treatment approaches for obesity and eating disorders. To target brain functions directly, real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback offers a state-of-the-art tool to learn to control the anterior insular cortex activity voluntarily. First evidence indicates that obese adults have an enhanced ability to regulate the anterior insular cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Frank
- 1Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen Tübingen, Germany ; 2fMEG Center, University of Tübingen Tübingen, Germany
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Bernhardt BC, Klimecki OM, Leiberg S, Singer T. Structural covariance networks of the dorsal anterior insula predict females' individual differences in empathic responding. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 24:2189-98. [PMID: 23535178 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bht072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Previous functional imaging studies have shown key roles of the dorsal anterior insula (dAI) and anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) in empathy for the suffering of others. The current study mapped structural covariance networks of these regions and assessed the relationship between networks and individual differences in empathic responding in 94 females. Individual differences in empathy were assessed through average state measures in response to a video task showing others' suffering, and through questionnaire-based trait measures of empathic concern. Overall, covariance patterns indicated that dAI and aMCC are principal hubs within prefrontal, temporolimbic, and midline structural covariance networks. Importantly, participants with high empathy state ratings showed increased covariance of dAI, but not aMCC, to prefrontal and limbic brain regions. This relationship was specific for empathy and could not be explained by individual differences in negative affect ratings. Regarding questionnaire-based empathic trait measures, we observed a similar, albeit weaker modulation of dAI covariance, confirming the robustness of our findings. Our analysis, thus, provides novel evidence for a specific contribution of frontolimbic structural covariance networks to individual differences in social emotions beyond negative affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris C Bernhardt
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Max-Planck-Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, D-04301 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olga M Klimecki
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Max-Planck-Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, D-04301 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanne Leiberg
- Laboratory for Social and Economic Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, CH-8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tania Singer
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Max-Planck-Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, D-04301 Leipzig, Germany Laboratory for Social and Economic Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, CH-8006 Zurich, Switzerland
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Morel A, Gallay MN, Baechler A, Wyss M, Gallay DS. The human insula: Architectonic organization and postmortem MRI registration. Neuroscience 2013; 236:117-35. [PMID: 23340245 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.12.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2012] [Revised: 12/12/2012] [Accepted: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The human insula has been the focus of great attention in the last decade due to substantial progress in neuroimaging methodology and applications. Anatomical support for functional localization and interpretations, however, is still fragmented. The aim of the present study was to re-examine the microanatomical organization of the insula and relate cytoarchitectonic maps to major sulcal/gyral patterns by registration to high-resolution MR images of the same brains. The insula was divided into seven architectonic subdivisions (G, Ig, Id1-3, Ia1-2) that were charted on unfolded maps of the insula following a method used previously in monkeys. The results reveal overall similar patterns of Nissl, and to some extent also, myelin and parvalbumin (PV), as in monkeys, with a postero-dorsal to antero-ventral gradient of hypergranular to granular, dysgranular and agranular fields. Reversals occur ventrally along the inferior peri-insular sulcus (IPS), at the margin with the temporal operculum, and anteriorly at the limit with orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). A large portion of agranular cortex is characterized by a dense accumulation of the spindle-shaped von Economo neurons (VENs) in layer V. The distribution of VENs is not restricted to agranular insula but also extends into the anterior part of dysgranular fields. The patterns of intracortical myelin and of PV neuropil in the middle layers follow decreasing gradients from postero-dorsal granular to antero-ventral agranular insula, with particularly strong staining in posterior and dorsal insula. A separate PV enhanced area in the middle-dorsal insula corresponds in location to the presumed human gustatory area. Projections of the cytoarchitectonic maps onto high-resolution stereotactic MRI reveal a near concentric organization around the limen insula, with each cytoarchitectonic subdivision encompassing several major insular gyri/sulci. The dysgranular domain is the largest, taking up about half of the insula. The present study of the human insula provides a new anatomical basis for MR imaging and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Morel
- Center for Clinical Research, University Hospital Zürich, Sternwartstrasse 6, CH-8091 Zürich, Switzerland.
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Kaas JH. The evolution of brains from early mammals to humans. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2012; 4:33-45. [PMID: 23529256 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The large size and complex organization of the human brain makes it unique among primate brains. In particular, the neocortex constitutes about 80% of the brain, and this cortex is subdivided into a large number of functionally specialized regions, the cortical areas. Such a brain mediates accomplishments and abilities unmatched by any other species. How did such a brain evolve? Answers come from comparative studies of the brains of present-day mammals and other vertebrates in conjunction with information about brain sizes and shapes from the fossil record, studies of brain development, and principles derived from studies of scaling and optimal design. Early mammals were small, with small brains, an emphasis on olfaction, and little neocortex. Neocortex was transformed from the single layer of output pyramidal neurons of the dorsal cortex of earlier ancestors to the six layers of all present-day mammals. This small cap of neocortex was divided into 20-25 cortical areas, including primary and some of the secondary sensory areas that characterize neocortex in nearly all mammals today. Early placental mammals had a corpus callosum connecting the neocortex of the two hemispheres, a primary motor area, M1, and perhaps one or more premotor areas. One line of evolution, Euarchontoglires, led to present-day primates, tree shrews, flying lemurs, rodents, and rabbits. Early primates evolved from small-brained, nocturnal, insect-eating mammals with an expanded region of temporal visual cortex. These early nocturnal primates were adapted to the fine branch niche of the tropical rainforest by having an even more expanded visual system that mediated visually guided reaching and grasping of insects, small vertebrates, and fruits. Neocortex was greatly expanded and included an array of cortical areas that characterize neocortex of all living primates. Specializations of the visual system included new visual areas that contributed to a dorsal stream of visuomotor processing in a greatly enlarged region of posterior parietal cortex and an expanded motor system and the addition of a ventral premotor area. Higher visual areas in a large temporal lobe facilitated object recognition, and frontal cortex included granular prefrontal cortex. Auditory cortex included the primary and secondary auditory areas that characterize prosimian and anthropoid primates today. As anthropoids emerged as diurnal primates, the visual system specialized for detailed foveal vision. Other adaptations included an expansion of prefrontal cortex and insular cortex. The human and chimpanzee-bonobo lineages diverged some 6-8 million years ago with brains that were about one third the size of modern humans. Over the last 2 million years, the brains of our more recent ancestors increased greatly in size, especially in the prefrontal, posterior parietal, lateral temporal, and insular regions. Specialization of the two cerebral hemispheres for related, but different functions became pronounced, and language and other impressive cognitive abilities emerged. WIREs Cogn Sci 2013, 4:33-45. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1206 This article is categorized under: Neuroscience > Anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon H Kaas
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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Systematic meta-analysis of insula volume in schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2012; 72:775-84. [PMID: 22621997 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2012] [Revised: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Volume reduction in insular cortex may constitute an important neuropathology in schizophrenia. We provide the first meta-analysis of studies that conducted region-of-interest analyses of the magnitude of effect and pattern of insula volume reduction in schizophrenia compared with healthy control subjects. METHODS Included studies examined insula volume in schizophrenia relative to healthy control subjects. Studies were located via electronic database searches and hand searching. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were completed by two independent reviewers. Hedge's g effect sizes were calculated using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (v.2) to quantify volumetric differences between people with and without schizophrenia, accounting for moderating influences of age, sex, illness duration, medication, whole brain volume, and potential differences in hemispheric and anatomical subregions. RESULTS Random-effects analysis showed reductions of bilateral insula (n = 945, g = -.446, 95% confidence interval -.639 to -.252, p = .00001), with moderate heterogeneity apparent (I² = 76%). This effect was consistent across left and right insula and not influenced by illness stage or sex. Additional analyses revealed larger reductions of anterior (n = 605, g = -.643, p < 0.001; I² = 52%) than of posterior insula (n = 453, g = -.321, p = .028; I² = 55%). Meta-regression analyses did not identify any significant predictors of reduced insula volume. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis indicates medium-sized reduction of insula volume in schizophrenia, of greatest magnitude in the anterior subregion. Cellular distinctions across anterior and posterior insula may contribute to understanding the neuropathology and functional significance of the observed volumetric differences.
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Garcia-Larrea L. The posterior insular-opercular region and the search of a primary cortex for pain. Neurophysiol Clin 2012; 42:299-313. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neucli.2012.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2012] [Revised: 06/01/2012] [Accepted: 06/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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Cloutman LL, Lambon Ralph MA. Connectivity-based structural and functional parcellation of the human cortex using diffusion imaging and tractography. Front Neuroanat 2012; 6:34. [PMID: 22952459 PMCID: PMC3429885 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2012.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2012] [Accepted: 07/28/2012] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The parcellation of the cortex via its anatomical properties has been an important research endeavor for over a century. To date, however, a universally accepted parcellation scheme for the human brain still remains elusive. In the current review, we explore the use of in vivo diffusion imaging and white matter tractography as a non-invasive method for the structural and functional parcellation of the human cerebral cortex, discussing the strengths and limitations of the current approaches. Cortical parcellation via white matter connectivity is based on the premise that, as connectional anatomy determines functional organization, it should be possible to segregate functionally-distinct cortical regions by identifying similarities and differences in connectivity profiles. Recent studies have provided initial evidence in support of the efficacy of this connectional parcellation methodology. Such investigations have identified distinct cortical subregions which correlate strongly with functional regions identified via fMRI and meta-analyses. Furthermore, a strong parallel between the cortical regions defined via tractographic and more traditional cytoarchitectonic parcellation methods has been observed. However, the degree of correspondence and relative functional importance of cytoarchitectonic- versus connectivity-derived parcellations still remains unclear. Diffusion tractography remains one of the only methods capable of visualizing the structural networks of the brain in vivo. As such, it is of vital importance to continue to improve the accuracy of the methodology and to extend its potential applications in the study of cognition in neurological health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren L Cloutman
- Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester Manchester, UK
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris C. Bernhardt
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Max-Planck Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04309 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Tania Singer
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Max-Planck Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04309 Leipzig, Germany;
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Functional organization of the insula and inner perisylvian regions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:10077-82. [PMID: 22647599 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1200143109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
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. Behavioral responses and heart rate changes were recorded. The results showed that the insula is functionally formed by two main subdivisions: (i) a sensorimotor field occupying the caudal-dorsal portion of the insula and appearing as an extension of the parietal lobe; and (ii) a mosaic of orofacial motor programs located in the anterior and centroventral insula sector. These programs show a progressive shift from dorsally located nonemotional motor programs (ingestive activity) to ventral ones laden with emotional and communicative content. The relationship between ingestive and other behaviors is discussed in an evolutionary perspective.
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Neural processing of gustatory information in insular circuits. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2012; 22:709-16. [PMID: 22554880 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2012.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2012] [Revised: 04/03/2012] [Accepted: 04/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The insular cortex is the primary cortical site devoted to taste processing. A large body of evidence is available for how insular neurons respond to gustatory stimulation in both anesthetized and behaving animals. Most of the reports describe broadly tuned neurons that are involved in processing the chemosensory, physiological and psychological aspects of gustatory experience. However little is known about how these neural responses map onto insular circuits. Particularly mysterious is the functional role of the three subdivisions of the insular cortex: the granular, the dysgranular and the agranular insular cortices. In this article we review data on the organization of the local and long-distance circuits in the three subdivisions. The functional significance of these results is discussed in light of the latest electrophysiological data. A view of the insular cortex as a functionally integrated system devoted to processing gustatory, multimodal, cognitive and affective information is proposed.
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A convergent functional architecture of the insula emerges across imaging modalities. Neuroimage 2012; 61:1129-42. [PMID: 22440648 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 297] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2011] [Revised: 02/23/2012] [Accepted: 03/01/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Empirical evidence increasingly supports the hypothesis that patterns of intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) are sculpted by a history of evoked coactivation within distinct neuronal networks. This, together with evidence of strong correspondence among the networks defined by iFC and those delineated using a variety of other neuroimaging techniques, suggests a fundamental brain architecture detectable across multiple functional and structural imaging modalities. Here, we leverage this insight to examine the functional organization of the human insula. We parcellated the insula on the basis of three distinct neuroimaging modalities - task-evoked coactivation, intrinsic (i.e., task-independent) functional connectivity, and gray matter structural covariance. Clustering of these three different covariance-based measures revealed a convergent elemental organization of the insula that likely reflects a fundamental brain architecture governing both brain structure and function at multiple spatial scales. While not constrained to be hierarchical, our parcellation revealed a pseudo-hierarchical, multiscale organization that was consistent with previous clustering and meta-analytic studies of the insula. Finally, meta-analytic examination of the cognitive and behavioral domains associated with each of the insular clusters obtained elucidated the broad functional dissociations likely underlying the topography observed. To facilitate future investigations of insula function across healthy and pathological states, the insular parcels have been made freely available for download via http://fcon_1000.projects.nitrc.org, along with the analytic scripts used to perform the parcellations.
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