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Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
Published on: September 11, 2017
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Anterior insular cortex plays a critical role in interoceptive attention
Xingchao Wang1,2, Qiong Wu3,4, Laura Egan5
1Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Elife
|April 16, 2019
Summary
The anterior insular cortex (AIC) is crucial for interoceptive attention, which is attention to bodily signals. This study confirms the AIC
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- The anterior insular cortex (AIC) is hypothesized to mediate interoceptive attention, the process of attending to internal bodily sensations.
- The essential role of the AIC in interoceptive attention has not been definitively established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the involvement and necessity of the AIC in interoceptive attention.
- To elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying interoceptive attention.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess AIC activity in healthy participants performing a breathing-focused attention task.
- The study examined interoceptive attention in patients with AIC lesions using the same task.
Main Results:
- Interoceptive attention correlated with increased AIC activation and altered connectivity between the AIC and sensory processing regions (somatosensory and visual).
- AIC activity predicted individual differences in interoceptive accuracy.
- Patients with AIC lesions exhibited impaired interoceptive discrimination and sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- The findings provide strong evidence for a critical role of the AIC in mediating interoceptive attention.
- The AIC is essential for accurately perceiving and attending to internal bodily signals.
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