Cited by 387Psychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsHeart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlTactile and Sensory Interactions

The pathways of interoceptive awareness

Open access
Khalsa, Sahib S, Rudrauf, David, Feinstein, Justin S, Tranel, Daniel·2009·Nature Neuroscience

Abstract

A network of cortical brain regions, including the insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), has been proposed as the critical and sole substrate for interoceptive awareness. Combining lesion and pharmacological approaches in humans, we found that the insula and ACC were not critical for awareness of heartbeat sensations. Instead, this awareness was mediated by both somatosensory afferents from the skin and a network that included the insula and ACC. Together, these pathways enable the core human experience of the cardiovascular state of the body.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nn.2411

Cites

17 of 17 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Roger was unable to detect heart rate change at low doses of isoproterenol, had longer response lag than controls, and his interoceptive awareness worsened after anesthetic application.

    “For instance, he was unable to detect heart rate change at low doses of isoproterenol infusion, his response lag was significantly longer than controls, and his interoceptive awareness was greatly worsened after anesthetic application (Khalsa et al., 2009).”

    From Anterior insular cortex and emotional awareness (2013) · cites this paper as Khalsa et al., 2009

    In the supplied passage labeled Abstract (page not provided), Roger's awareness ratings were somewhat delayed, and he reported no changes in cardiac sensation after topical anesthetic was applied. The copy does not say he could not detect changes at low isoproterenol doses or establish that his response lag was statistically significantly longer than controls'. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The insula is a key cortical structure for identifying interoceptive states and emotional awareness.

    “Moreover, the insula is a key cortical structure for identifying interoceptive states and emotional awareness (Critchley et al., 2004; Khalsa et al., 2009; Khalsa et al., 2018); thus, aberrations at the level of the insula among individuals with PTSD may have negative cascading effects on the capacity for regulating emotion in higher-order prefrontal lobe structures of the brain.”

    From How Processing of Sensory Information From the Internal and External Worlds Shape the Perception and Engagement With the World in the Aftermath of Trauma: Implications for PTSD (2021) · cites this paper as Khalsa et al., 2009

    The Abstract describes the insula as important for representing bodily states and as typically considered a key structure for visceral sensation. But it says the insula is not necessary for heartbeat awareness and that its role in the experience of emotion remains to be determined. The claim overstates the paper’s support for the insula’s role in emotional awareness. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Despite the variance, the brain tracks such changes in similar subregions, including the insula, somatosensory cortices, cingulate, amygdala, thalamus, and brainstem.

    “Despite the variance, the brain tracks such changes in similar subregions, including the insula, somatosensory cortices, cingulate, amygdala, thalamus, and brainstem (42,43,51–53).”

    From Interoception and Mental Health: A Roadmap. (2018) · cites this paper as [43]

    The indexed paper (Abstract; page unavailable) links interoceptive awareness to the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and somatosensory cortices. It mentions the amygdala as a damaged region in one patient, but does not establish that it tracks bodily changes; the passages also do not identify the thalamus or brainstem as tracking them. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Several brainstem, subcortical, and cortical regions represent key afferent processing regions for interoception.

    “Several brainstem (nucleus of the solitary tract, parabrachial nucleus, and periaqueductal gray), subcortical (thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala), and cortical regions (insula and somatosensory cortices) represent key afferent processing regions (22,42,43).”

    From Interoception and Mental Health: A Roadmap. (2018) · cites this paper as [43]

    The paper’s Abstract identifies the insula and somatosensory cortices as parts of interoceptive afferent pathways. It does not identify the listed brainstem regions, thalamus, or hypothalamus as key afferent processing regions; it mentions the hippocampus and amygdala as damaged in the patient but says such structures are less often implicated in interoceptive awareness. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Once participants' chests were anesthetized, they were no longer able to detect their heartbeat at rest.

    “In that study, once the participant’s chests were anesthetized, they were no longer able to detect their heartbeat at rest (Khalsa et al., 2009).”

    From Mindfulness, Interoception, and the Body: A Contemporary Perspective (2019) · cites this paper as Khalsa et al., 2009

    The anesthetic-challenge passage (section labeled Abstract; page not provided) reports that Roger no longer perceived changes in cardiac sensation after topical lidocaine was applied. It does not establish that participants generally could not detect their heartbeat at rest: the test repeated an isoproterenol challenge, and the healthy comparison participants’ sensations were unaffected. (LLM, conf=0.90)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [9]Khalsa S Rudrauf D Tranel D Psychophysiol (in press)
  2. [11]Feinstein JS J Clin Exp Neuropsy (in press)

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Authors
Khalsa, S. S., Rudrauf, D., Feinstein, J. S., & Tranel, D.
Affiliations
University of Iowa (US)
Corresponding author
Khalsa, Sahib S
Venue
Nature Neuroscience
Published
2009-11-01
Volume
12
Issue
12
Pages
1494-1496
ISSN
  • 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1726
OpenAlex
W1964020740
Cited by
387
References
17
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 13
FWCI
5.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA022549)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32GM007337)
  • National Center for Research Resources (M01RR000059, M01-RR59)
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (F31AT003061)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
Keywords
interoceptive awareness, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, somatosensory afferents, pharmacological manipulation
MeSH terms
Awareness, Brain Diseases, Cerebral Cortex, Gyrus Cinguli, Heart, Heart Rate, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Skin, Somatosensory Cortex, Visceral Afferents

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