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Related Concept Videos

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
Cephalic Phase of Digestion01:24

Cephalic Phase of Digestion

The process of digestion is composed of three stages – cephalic, gastric, and intestinal – each with a distinct control center. The cephalic phase is the first stage, and it starts even before the food enters the stomach. It is controlled by the central nervous system and is initiated by any food-related sensory stimuli, such as the sight and smell of food, which send signals to the brain. While eating, the taste receptors intensify these signals, which travel to the cerebral cortex and then to...
Mechanical and Chemical Digestion in the Small Intestine01:30

Mechanical and Chemical Digestion in the Small Intestine

The small intestine plays a crucial role in our digestive system, performing both mechanical and chemical digestion.
Mechanical digestion in the small intestine involves movements such as segmentations and migrating motility complexes (MMCs), primarily controlled by the myenteric plexus. Segmentations are localized contractions occurring in areas of the intestine distended by chyme—a mixture of partially digested food. These contractions mix chyme with digestive juices, facilitating absorption...
Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
Lobes of the Cerebrum01:22

Lobes of the Cerebrum

The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.

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Related Experiment Video

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Real-time Analysis of Gut-brain Neural Communication: Cortex wide Calcium Dynamics in Response to Intestinal Glucose Stimulation
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Published on: December 29, 2023

Food related processes in the insular cortex.

Sabine Frank1, Stephanie Kullmann, Ralf Veit

  • 11Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen Tübingen, Germany ; 2fMEG Center, University of Tübingen Tübingen, Germany.

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|August 30, 2013
PubMed
Summary

The insular cortex integrates sensory food information, with its activity varying based on body mass index and eating behaviors. This brain region

Keywords:
eating disordersfoodgustatoryinsular cortexneurofeedbackobesityweight loss

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neuroimaging
  • Sensory processing

Background:

  • The insular cortex is a key multimodal brain region.
  • It integrates sensory, emotional, and cognitive information, including taste.
  • The anterior insular cortex is considered the primary taste cortex.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the insula's role in food processing.
  • To examine multimodal integration of food-related stimuli.
  • To discuss functional differences in insular activation related to eating behaviors and disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on neuroimaging studies of insular cortex activation.
  • Analysis of factors influencing insular response to food stimuli.
  • Examination of insular activity in lean, obese, and eating disorder populations.

Main Results:

  • Food perception (sight, smell, taste) activates anterior and mid-dorsal insula.
  • Insular activation is linked to hedonic aspects of food and reward pathways.
  • Obese individuals and those with eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa) show altered insular processing compared to lean subjects.

Conclusions:

  • Insular cortex plays a critical role in processing food stimuli and its rewarding properties.
  • Differences in insular activation highlight potential targets for treating obesity and eating disorders.
  • Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback shows promise for modulating insular activity.