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Updated: Feb 7, 2026
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P50 Sensory Gating in Infants
Published on: December 26, 2013
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Modulation of Posterior Insula Selectively Enhances Nociceptive Sensory Gating in Humans
Gabriel Isaac1, Aditya Kapoor2, Andrew Strohman1,2,3
1School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
Medrxiv : the Preprint Server for Health Sciences
|February 6, 2026
Summary
Sensory gating, the brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
- Neuromodulation
Background:
- Sensory gating filters repetitive input, preventing overload.
- Impaired gating is linked to chronic pain conditions.
- Brain regions like the insula and ACC are implicated but hard to study non-invasively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the roles of the anterior insula (AI), posterior insula (PI), and anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC) in sensory gating of pain.
- To utilize low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) for non-invasive neuromodulation of these deep brain regions.
- To identify specific brain regions crucial for sensory gating mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- A paired-pulse contact heat evoked potential (CHEP) paradigm was used with 12 healthy adults.
- Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) was targeted to AI, PI, and aMCC, or sham.
- Surface electroencephalography (EEG) measured cortical responses (S1, S2 amplitudes) and calculated the S2/S1 ratio for sensory gating index.
Main Results:
- All participants exhibited baseline sensory gating.
- LIFU to PI and aMCC reduced pain ratings and S2 amplitude.
- Only PI neuromodulation significantly enhanced sensory gating by reducing the S2/S1 ratio.
Conclusions:
- The posterior insula (PI) plays a critical role in gating repetitive nociceptive stimuli.
- LIFU targeting the PI effectively enhances sensory gating.
- The PI is a potential therapeutic target for nociplastic pain with gating deficits.
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