Anterior insula regulates brain network transitions that gate conscious access
Zirui Huang,
Vijay Tarnal,
Phillip E. Vlisides,
Ellen L. Janke,
Amy M. McKinney,
Paul Picton,
George A. Mashour,
Anthony G. Hudetz
Affiliations
Zirui Huang
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Corresponding author
Vijay Tarnal
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Phillip E. Vlisides
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Ellen L. Janke
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Amy M. McKinney
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Paul Picton
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
George A. Mashour
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Anthony G. Hudetz
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: Conscious access to sensory information is likely gated at an intermediate site between primary sensory and transmodal association cortices, but the structure responsible remains unknown. We perform functional neuroimaging to determine the neural correlates of conscious access using a volitional mental imagery task, a report paradigm not confounded by motor behavior. Titrating propofol to loss of behavioral responsiveness in healthy volunteers creates dysfunction of the anterior insular cortex (AIC) in association with an impairment of dynamic transitions of default-mode and dorsal attention networks. Candidate subcortical regions mediating sensory gating or arousal (thalamus, basal forebrain) fail to show this association. The gating role of the AIC is consistent with findings in awake participants, whose conscious access is predicted by pre-stimulus AIC activity near perceptual threshold. These data support the hypothesis that AIC, situated at an intermediate position of the cortical hierarchy, regulates brain network transitions that gate conscious access.
