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

Cell Reports (May 2021)

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

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 35, no. 5
p. 109081

Abstract

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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.

Published in Cell Reports

ISSN: 2211-1247 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: http://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home

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