[The Role of Insular Cortex in Autonomic Control]

The purpose of this article is to review experimental data proving that the insular cortex is involved in the regulation of visceral systems: respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. The paper deals with the data on the structure of the insular cortex, the pathways in brain by which visceral information ascend to the insular cortex, the results of neurophysiological experiments and clinical observations. The experimental evidence of viscerotopical organization of not only sensor, but also motor representation of visceral systems in the insular cortex is discussed. On the basis of these data the insular cortex is defined as sensorimotor visceral cortex. It is demonstrated that one of the mechanisms of influence of the insular cortex on the regulation of internal organs is the modulation of reflex reactions which take place at the bulbar level.