concept

posterior insular cortex

Also known as: PIC, posterior insular cortex, posterior insula

Facts (12)

Sources

Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART) frontiersin.org Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 12 facts

claimNovices exhibit strong functional coupling between the right posterior insular cortex (PIC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas meditators show more significant connectivity between the right posterior insular cortex (PIC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).

claimActivation in Experiential-Embodied-Self (EES)-specific areas, specifically the right putamen and posterior insular cortex (PIC), negatively correlates with individual depression scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, suggesting a role for mindfulness in homeostatic and motor function-specific regulation of emotion, according to Farb et al. (2010).

measurementA study by Brown and Jones (2010) of experienced meditators (39–1820 weeks of practice) showed decreased left posterior insular cortex (PIC) and secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) activation during the anticipation of pain and throughout the experience of pain, compared to non-meditators.

claimDuring focused attention (FA) meditation, activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and left posterior insular cortex (PIC) positively correlates with the number of hours of meditation practice, according to Manna et al. (2010).

measurementZeidan et al. (2011) showed that meditators exhibited decreased activity in the posterior insular cortex (PIC) and somatosensory areas corresponding to the site of pain stimulus while meditating in the context of noxious stimuli.

measurementFarb et al. (2012) found that the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) is deactivated and negatively coupled to the posterior insular cortex (PIC) during interoceptive awareness.

measurementMeditators with brief training (4 sessions of 20 minutes) showed greater bilateral activation in the posterior insular cortex (PIC) and somatosensory areas corresponding to the nose and throat while practicing Focused Attention (FA) meditation, according to Zeidan et al. (2011).

claimThe periaqueductal gray (PAG), parabrachial nucleus (PBN), midbrain colliculi, thalamus, hypothalamus, and posterior insular cortex (PIC) are involved in monitoring, deciphering, and controlling interoceptive feedback at a non-conscious level.

claimThe insula integrates salient activity and feelings in a posterior-to-anterior direction, where non-conscious homeostatic and motor functions are mapped in the posterior insula, while contextually based relations to conscious experience (hedonic, motivational, social, and emotional feelings) are represented in the anterior insula.

claimSelf-relevant information is attributed an emotional tone in the ventral posterior nucleus (Vpo) of the thalamus before being somatotopically represented in the posterior and anterior insula (PIC/AIC).

claimThe self-specifying sensory-motor convergence contributing to the EES (Enactive-Embodied-Self) network is localized to a distributed set of interconnected spinothalamocortical regions, including the periaqueductal gray (PAG), parabrachial nucleus (PBN), midbrain colliculi, thalamus, hypothalamus, and posterior insular cortex (PIC).

claimInteroceptive awareness in individuals trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) recruits decreased dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) activity and negative functional connectivity with the posterior insular cortex (PIC), suggesting a role for the DMPFC in modulating primary interoceptive areas, according to Farb et al. (2012).