Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
09:48
Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention
Published on: September 11, 2017
Insular Somatostatin Interneurons Are Targeted by Motor Cortex Efferents and Modulate Affective States
Danielle N Adank1,2,3, Anne Taylor2,3, Yizhen Quan3
1Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science
|May 22, 2026
Summary
A newly discovered motor cortex circuit in the mid-insula inhibits affective behavior. This circuit, involving somatostatin interneurons, shows resistance to stress habituation and may offer therapeutic targets for stress-related disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- Disrupted corticolimbic communication is implicated in stress-related psychiatric disorders.
- The mid-insular cortex (mIC) regulates affective behavior via projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST).
- The synaptic organization of the mIC's influence on BNST and the extent of primary motor cortex (MOp) input to the mIC are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the innervation of the mIC by the MOp.
- To identify the specific neuronal targets of MOp afferents within the mIC.
- To elucidate the functional role of this circuit in stress responses and affective behavior.
Main Methods:
- Anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques.
- Whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology.
- Fiber photometry and chemogenetics in mice.
Main Results:
- MOp afferents form excitatory synapses onto mIC somatostatin interneurons (SST-INs).
- mIC SST-INs provide feed-forward inhibition to mIC projection neurons targeting the BNST.
- mIC SST-IN activation during active coping is stress-habituation resistant, and their stimulation reduces negative affective behaviors.
Conclusions:
- A novel MOp-driven inhibitory circuit in the mIC, targeting SST-INs, regulates affective behavior.
- This circuit's resistance to stress habituation suggests its potential as a therapeutic target for stress-related disorders.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Somatosensory, 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...
01:33Somatosensation
The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
01:14Motor 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.
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.
01:11Enteric Nervous System: Regulation of GI Motor Activity
The Enteric Nervous System (ENS) plays a pivotal role in regulating gastrointestinal or GI motor activity. This complex network of nerves, deeply embedded within the gut wall, responds to changes in the gut environment and receives input from both the autonomic nervous system and the central nervous system. By doing so, the ENS operates various programs tailored to the body's nutritional status and needs.
During periods of fasting, the ENS initiates the migrating myoelectric complex, a program...
During periods of fasting, the ENS initiates the migrating myoelectric complex, a program...
01:40Hormonal Regulation
Hormones regulate a significant portion of digestion through activation of the neuroendocrine system. The neuroendocrine system of digestion contains many different hormones all with multiple functions that are both, directly and indirectly, involved in digestion.