Estimation of Current and Future Physiological States in Insular Cortex.

ABSTRACT: Interoception, the sense of internal bodily signals, is essential for physiological homeostasis, cognition, and emotions. While human insular cortex (InsCtx) is implicated in interoception, the cellular and circuit mechanisms remain unclear. We imaged mouse InsCtx neurons during two physiological deficiency states: hunger and thirst. InsCtx ongoing activity patterns reliably tracked the gradual return to homeostasis but not changes in behavior. Accordingly, while artificial induction of hunger or thirst in sated mice via activation of specific hypothalamic neurons (AgRP or SFO^GLUT) restored cue-evoked food- or water-seeking, InsCtx ongoing activity continued to reflect physiological satiety. During natural hunger or thirst, food or water cues rapidly and transiently shifted InsC

SUBMITTER: Livneh Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7083695 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature