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Conjoint activity of anterior insular and anterior cingulate cortex: awareness and response

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 16:06 authored by Nick Medford, Hugo CritchleyHugo Critchley
There is now a wealth of evidence that anterior insular and anterior cingulate cortices have a close functional relationship, such that they may be considered together as input and output regions of a functional system. This system is typically engaged across cognitive, affective, and behavioural contexts, suggesting that it is of fundamental importance for mental life. Here, we review the literature and reinforce the case that these brain regions are crucial, firstly, for the production of subjective feelings and, secondly, for co-ordinating appropriate responses to internal and external events. This model seeks to integrate higher-order cortical functions with sensory representation and autonomic control: it is argued that feeling states emerge from the raw data of sensory (including interoceptive) inputs and are integrated through representations in conscious awareness. Correspondingly, autonomic nervous system reactivity is particularly important amongst the responses that accompany conscious experiences. Potential clinical implications are also discussed.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Brain Structure and Function

ISSN

1863-2653

Publisher

Springer Verlag

Issue

5-6

Volume

214

Page range

535-549

Department affiliated with

  • Clinical and Experimental Medicine Publications

Notes

Special Issue

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2011-08-17

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