What is the insular cortex?

The insular cortex, also known as the insula, is a part of the brain that focuses on internal feelings, including the perception of tastes, and processes information about our internal state. It has a role in interoception, which is our perception of internal bodily sensations, and it is involved in determining how we feel about external sensory experiences 1.

The insula is responsive to various aspects of our internal landscape, such as pain and the how dedicated we are to a chosen practice. For instance, it mediates increased pain tolerance in yoga practitioners 2. Moreover, the insular cortex is significant in calibrating the intensity of our physiological responses to external stimuli, suggesting a role in how sensitive we are to these stimuli and potentially how jumpy or calm we might be in response to changes in our environment 3.

This brain area has a map of our body surface, including our internal organs and is critical for assessing our feelings of wellbeing or lack thereof from the skin inward. In other words, it plays a crucial role in how we experience our physiologic responses on an emotional level 4.

Furthermore, the insula also processes tactile sensations related to eating, influencing our enjoyment of food and whether or not we want to eat more or less 5. Lastly, it interacts with other brain structures, such as the anterior cingulate cortex and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, in understanding whether or not the sensations we experience make sense in the context of our current environment 6.