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Review
. 2009 Sep;33(8):1198-203.
doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.06.002. Epub 2009 Jun 16.

The anterior insula in autism: under-connected and under-examined

Lucina Q Uddin  1 , Vinod Menon
Affiliations
Review

The anterior insula in autism: under-connected and under-examined

Lucina Q Uddin et al. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2009 Sep.

Abstract

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown etiology. While the past decade has witnessed a proliferation of neuroimaging studies of autism, theoretical approaches for understanding systems-level brain abnormalities remain poorly developed. We propose a novel anterior insula-based systems-level model for investigating the neural basis of autism, synthesizing recent advances in brain network functional connectivity with converging evidence from neuroimaging studies in autism. The anterior insula is involved in interoceptive, affective and empathic processes, and emerging evidence suggests it is part of a "salience network" integrating external sensory stimuli with internal states. Network analysis indicates that the anterior insula is uniquely positioned as a hub mediating interactions between large-scale networks involved in externally and internally oriented cognitive processing. A recent meta-analysis identifies the anterior insula as a consistent locus of hypoactivity in autism. We suggest that dysfunctional anterior insula connectivity plays an important role in autism. Critical examination of these abnormalities from a systems neuroscience perspective should be a priority for further research on the neurobiology of autism.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Right Anterior Insula
The anterior insula is located within the lateral sulcus of the brain.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Model of AI Function
The anterior insula is part of a salience network which serves to initiate dynamic switches between the DMN and CEN. In our model of AI dysfunction in autism, limbic and sensory inputs are inadequately processed by the AI during social cognition, leading to disruption of the AI’s role in coordination of these large-scale brain networks.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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