Cited by 355Pain Mechanisms and TreatmentsPain Management and TreatmentTactile and Sensory Interactions

Somatotopic organisation of the human insula to painful heat studied with high resolution functional imaging

Brooks, J.C.W., Zambreanu, L., Godinez, A., Craig, A.D. (Bud), Tracey, I.·2005·NeuroImage

Abstract

Pain perception is a multidimensional phenomenon, derived from sensory, affective, cognitive-evaluative and homeostatic information. Neuroimaging studies of pain perception have investigated the role of primary somatosensory cortex (SI); however, they have typically failed to demonstrate the expected somatotopy. An alternative network for the sensory component of pain has been proposed, involving a temperature and pain-specific nucleus of the thalamus (VMpo) and its projections to dorsal posterior insula (dpIns). According to this hypothesis, projections to the insula should be arranged somatotopically. In order to test for the presence of somatotopy in the operculo-insular brain region, we delivered moderately painful thermal stimuli to the right face, hand and foot in 14 healthy subjects and recorded brain responses using high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T. For each subject, the thermode temperature was adjusted to produce pain ratings of 5 to 6 out of 10, which corresponded to average temperatures for the face, hand and foot of 49.6, 48.5 and 48.5 degrees C, respectively. Examination of mixed effects group activation maps suggested a pain-related somatotopy in the contralateral posterior insula and putamen. Construction of frequency maps revealed that face activation within the posterior insula was anterior to both hand and foot, whilst foot activation was located medially in the circular sulcus. Single subject analysis demonstrated that only coordinates for dpIns activation were significantly dependent on stimulus location (Hotelling's Trace, P = 0.012). Coordinates for face (paired t test, P = 0.004) and hand (P < 0.001) activity were more lateral than those for foot, whilst face activation was anterior to the foot (P = 0.037). Based on single subject analyses, the average standard space (MNI) coordinates for face, hand and foot activity were (-40,-16,11), (-40,-19,14) and (-35,-21,11) respectively.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.03.041

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  • Pain is a complex and multidimensional sensory experience based upon hierarchical somatosensory, affective, and homeostatic information processed in parallel and overlapping brain networks.

    “While pain is a complex and multidimensional sensory experience based upon hierarchical somatosensory, affective, and homeostatic information processed in parallel and overlapping brain networks (Craig, 2002, 2003a,b,c; Brooks et al., 2005),”
  • Prior research identified OP1 and dpINS as two regions in the operculoinsular region specifically involved in pain-related somatosensory processing.

    “Prior research has identi fi ed two regions in the operculoinsular region that are speci fi cally involved in pain-related somatosensory processing: OP1, the most caudal area of the parietal operculum, and dpINS (19 -23).”

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Authors
Brooks, J. C. W., Zambreanu, L., Godinez, A., Craig, A. D. (., & Tracey, I.
Affiliations
  • John Radcliffe Hospital (GB)
  • Barrow Neurological Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Brooks, J.C.W.
Venue
NeuroImage
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2005-08
Volume
27
Issue
1
Pages
201-209
ISSN
1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2071978760
Cited by
355
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 31
FWCI
12.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (publishedVersion)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS041287, NS41287)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
Keywords
somatotopic organization, posterior insula, thermal pain, somatosensory cortex, thalamus, putamen, insula, pain perception, single-subject analysis
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain Mapping, Face, Female, Foot, Hand, Hot Temperature, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Pain, Pain Measurement, Somatosensory Cortex

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