Role of anatomical insular subdivisions in interoception: Interoceptive attention and accuracy have dissociable substrates

Prior neuroimaging studies have supported the idea that human insular cortex plays an important role in processing and representing internal bodily states, also termed “interoception.” According to recent theoretical studies, interoception includes several aspects such as attention accuracy. However, there is no consensus on laterality location of insula support each aspect interoception. Thus, we aimed identify anatomical subdivisions involved interoceptive accuracy; examined 28 healthy volunteers who completed behavioral heartbeat counting task paradigm using functional magnetic resonance imaging. First, induced significant activation bilateral frontal operculum, precentral gyrus, middle insula, cingulate cortex, supplementary motor area. Then, compared anatomically predefined during attention. The highest short gyrus was noted within followed by anterior posterior while hemispheric differences were observed. Finally, accuracy index, measured task, strongly correlated with activity right dorsal insula/frontal operculum. These findings suggest associated mid-anterior which supports representation signals. In contrast, more portion a key obtaining accurate