Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation
Published on: August 26, 2011
Age-related changes in insula cortical thickness and impulsivity: significance for emotional development and
John C Churchwell1, Deborah A Yurgelun-Todd
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84105, USA; The Brain Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84105, USA.
Abstract:
Insula function has been associated with emotional regulation, adjusting to changing outcomes under risk, reward and loss anticipation, discounting of future rewards, and self-rated impulsivity. The role of the insula in these processes may be fundamentally related to prospective thinking, a trait that increases with age. There is evidence that insular cortical thickness shows age related decreases that parallel age related increases in future orientation and planning. We tested the hypothesis that nonplanning decreases with age and that insula thickness is related to both age and nonplanning impulsivity. Fifty-nine male and female participants, ranging in age from 10 to 22 years old, underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures and were assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). We observed that anterior insula thickness and nonplanning impulsivity show an inverse relationship with age and that there is a significant positive linear relationship between anterior insula thickness and nonplanning.
Related Concept Videos
Cognitive Development During Adolescence
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

