The dorsal posterior insula subserves a fundamental role in human pain
Open accessAbstract
Several brain regions have been implicated in human painful experiences, but none have been proven to be specific to pain. We exploited arterial spin-labeling quantitative perfusion imaging and a newly developed procedure to identify a specific role for the dorsal posterior insula (dpIns) in pain. Tract tracing studies in animals identify a similar region as fundamental to nociception, which suggests the dpIns is its human homolog and, as such, a potential therapeutic target.
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The posterior insular cortex is heavily involved in sensory processing, particularly exteroception and pain perception.
“The posterior insular cortex (pIC), located close to the primary sensory regions such as the somatosensory cortices, visual cortex, and auditory cortex, is heavily involved in sensory processing, particularly exteroception and pain perception [14][15][16].”
From The Insular Cortex: An Interface Between Sensation, Emotion and Cognition (2024) · cites this paper as [16]
The paper’s Abstract (page unavailable) reports that activity in the dorsal posterior insula tracked pain ratings, supporting its involvement in pain perception. It does not establish a broader role in exteroception or sensory processing: the comparison using innocuous vibration did not show significant activation there. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredElectrical stimulation of specific pIC subregions can directly induce pain in distinct body parts.
“Electrical stimulation of these specific subregions can directly induce pain in distinct body parts [16,46,47].”
From The Insular Cortex: An Interface Between Sensation, Emotion and Cognition (2024) · cites this paper as [16]
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References 21 · Cited by 393
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- [13]Garcia-Larrea L Brain 2010 133 2528 39 20724291
- [15]Garcia-Larrea L Peyron R Pain 2013 154 S29 S43 24021862
- [20]Chappell M IEEE Trans Sign Proc 2009 57 223 236
- Authors
- Segerdahl, A. R., Mezue, M., Okell, T. W., Farrar, J. T., & Tracey, I.
- Affiliations
- University of Oxford (GB)
- University of Pennsylvania (US)
- Corresponding author
- Segerdahl, Andrew R
- Venue
- Nature Neuroscience
- Published
- 2015-03-09
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 499-500
- ISSN
- 1097-6256 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-1726
- PMC
- PMC6783299
- OpenAlex
- W2068906079
- Cited by
- 393
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 41 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 7
- FWCI
- 27.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- erratum (2015-11-25)
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Nature Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (102645)
- 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 › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Keywords
- pain processing, tonic pain, nociception, arterial spin labeling, quantitative perfusion imaging
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain Mapping, Cerebral Cortex, Cerebrovascular Circulation, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Pain, Pain Measurement, Spin Labels, Young Adult, Pain Perception
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