Homotopic reciprocal functional connectivity between anterior human insulae

Brain Struct Funct. 2016 Jun;221(5):2695-701. doi: 10.1007/s00429-015-1065-0. Epub 2015 May 21.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate functional connectivity between right and left insulae in the human brain. We studied a patient with implanted depth electrodes for epilepsy surgery evaluation with stereotactically placed symmetric depth electrodes in both insulae. Bipolar 1 Hz electrical stimulation of the right and left posterior short gyri in the anterior insula evoked responses in the contralateral insular structures. These responses showed a latency of 8-24 ms. This report demonstrates for the first time bi-directional homotopic and heterotopic functional connectivity between right and left anterior insulae. The short latency of the evoked responses suggests mono- or oligo-synaptic connections, most likely via the corpus callosum.

Keywords: CCEP; Corpus callosum; Epilepsy; Evoked potentials; Functional connectivity; Insula.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Epilepsy / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans