Convergent and selective representations of pain, appetitive processes, aversive processes, and cognitive control in the insula

Nat Commun. 2026 Apr 14. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-71568-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Brain regions that integrate multiple types of information ("convergence zones") are crucial for the brain to generate coherent experiences and behaviors. The insula, known for its functional diversity, has been hypothesized as a key convergence hub, yet empirical evidence remains incomplete. To address this gap, we analyzed functional convergence across four domains-pain, non-somatic appetitive processes, non-somatic aversive processes, and cognitive control-in a Bayesian mega-analysis of fMRI data (n = 540, 36 study contrasts). Bayes Factor analyses identified both multi-domain convergent and single-domain selective zones, validated with independent datasets (n = 608). Results revealed a hierarchical architecture, with a multi-domain convergence zone in bilateral dorsal anterior insula surrounded by progressively converging zones. Functional decoding and coactivation analyses further support the insula's role as a convergence hub, while cytoarchitectonic and neurotransmitter profiling characterize the potential neuroanatomical basis of these zones. Together, the findings demonstrate a structured functional topography in the insula that bridges specialized and convergent processing, providing a potential neural basis for combining diverse information streams into unified experiences.

PMID:41980935 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-026-71568-9