Topic: posterior insular cortex

The posterior insular cortex (pInsCx) is a multimodal hub processing sensory information and aversive states. However, little is known about how specific inhibitory interneurons in the pInsCx code for fear-learning-related stimuli. Here, we performed longitudinal in-vivo Ca2+ imaging in the pInsCx during a three-day fear learning protocol with a miniature microscope; GCaMP6m was expressed in either PV+, or SOM+, or VIP+ interneurons, or in CaMKII+ (principal) neurons. We observed that positive US responses were more common in interneurons (~ 50%) than in principal neurons (~ 13%). There were v

The processing of sensory information by the neocortex is at the heart of conscious perception and is known to involve a dynamic interaction between synaptically connected GABAergic inhibitory interneurons (INs) and excitatory principal neurons (PNs). One hypothesis is that sensory feature encoding in PNs is supported by different IN types performing specific functional roles. Here we address this hypothesis in the mouse thermal cortex. The thermal system is a fundamental pathway required for accurate object identification, pain perception and body temperature regulation and one that is highly

Affective responses involve assessing the value of environmental cues signaling potential threats or rewards. However, when encountering novel cues, their affective value is uncertain. To overcome this uncertainty, the brain likely creates abstract representations of the environment, linking external stimuli with internal bodily states. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the formation of these affective models remain largely unknown. The insula, known as the primary interoceptive cortex, is a promising area where the associations between environmental cues (conditioned stimuli, CS) and b

Emotions are conserved functional states influenced by both external stimuli and internal bodily signals. One key brain region implicated in the encoding of emotions and processing of bodily signals across species is the posterior insular cortex (pInsCtx). Recent work in mice has shown that optogenetically elevating heart-rate increases the activity of individual pInsCtx neurons as well as induces anxiety. Additionally, perturbing heart-to-brain communication using vagus nerve stimulation impedes fear extinction in a pInsCtx-dependent manner. However, we currently lack a mechanistic understa

Activity of the insular cortex had been consistently suggested to be related with chronic pain. Of the sub-regions in the insular cortex, the posterior insular cortex (pIC) receives inputs from brain regions that receive primary sensory inputs. Anatomical changes of the pIC were reported in neuropathic pain conditions. However, how the activity of pIC neurons may be related with neuropathic pain remain to be investigated. We, therefore, investigated the role of pIC pyramidal neurons and neuropathic pain using optogenetics and fiberphotometry using male mice. We found that inhibiting the activi