Projects

» Internal modulation and anticipation of emotional response by the insula cortex

Scientific Participants: Kai Klepzig, Katharina Holtz/Stender, Julia Wendt, Bettina v. Sarnowski, Alfons Hamm, Martin Lotze

Imaging studies contributed to the knowledge that the insula is part of interoceptive processing. These findings support models postulating that the integration of environmental signals, together with physiologic changes elicited by these signals, represent a central mechanism for the recognition and experience of emotions. Astonishingly, group studies supporting this theory are widely absent. Over the last years we identified a group of more than 30 patients with ischemic unilateral lesions of the insula, we intend to recruit more of these patients from our university hospital, and we will investigate the mentioned research questions on this patient population. We intend to use neuropsychological testing, psychophysiology and structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging. By combining the lesion model (specific deficits) and functional investigation (changes in functional representation and physiology) for the first time, we will be able to comprehensively describe the role of the insula in emotional processing.

References:
M. Lotze (2024) Emotional processing impairments in patients with insula lesions following stroke, NeuroImage 291:120591. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120591.
Klepzig K., Domin M., Wendt J., von Sarnowski B., Lischke A., Hamm A.O., Lotze M. (2023) Structural integrity of the insula and emotional facial recognition performance following stroke. Brain Communications 5(3):fcad144. doi: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad144.
Witt L.*, Klepzig K.*, von Sarnowski B., Horn U., Domin M., Hamm A., Lotze M. (*equal contribution) (2023) Modulation of bodily response to chill stimuli by impaired structural connectivity of the left insula- a functional and lesion quantification study in stroke patients, European Journal of Neurology 30(6):1706-1711. doi: 10.1111/ene.15771.
Klepzig K., Stender K., Lotze M., Hamm, A. (2022) Written in the Face? Facial Expressions during Pleasant and Unpleasant Chills. Psychology of Music 51(3), 952-970. doi.org/10.1177/03057356221122607
Klepzig K., Horn U. , König J., Holtz K., Wendt J. , Hamm A.O., Lotze M. (2019) Brain imaging of chill reactions to pleasant and unpleasant sounds, Behavioural Brain Research 380:112417. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112417.
Grunkina V.*, Holtz K*, Klepzig K., Neubert J., Horn U., Domin M., Hamm A., Lotze M. (2017) (*equal contribution) The anterior left insula as a monitor of bodily reaction and felt chill – a case-control functional imaging study. Frontiers in Neurosci, 10:670.
Lotze M. (2018) Emotionsstörungen in der Rehabilitation. Neuroreha 10 (02), 61-65.
Lotze M. (2018) Funktionelle Anatomie der Emotionsstörungen. Neuroreha 10 (02), 66-70.
Lischke A., Lemke D., Neubert J., Hamm AO.*, Lotze M.* (*equal contribution; 2017) Inter-individual differences in heart rate variability are associated with inter-individual differences in mind-reading; Scientific Reports, in press.
Lischke A., Domin M., Freyberger H.J., Grabe H.J., Mentel R., Bernheim D., Lotze M. (2017) Structural alterations in the corpus callosum are associated with suicidal behavior in women with borderline personality disorder. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11:196.
Wattendorf E., Westermann B., Lotze M., Fiedler K, Celio M.R. (2016) Insular-cortex activity and the evocation of laughter. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 524(8):1608-15.
Holtz K., Pané-Farré C.A., Wendt J., Lotze M., Hamm A.O. (2012) Brain activation during anticipation of interoceptive threat. Neuroimage 61(4):857-65.
Kreutz G., Lotze M. (2007) Neuroscience of music and emotion. In: Neurosciences in Music Pedagogy. New York: Nova Science, 143-167
Holtz K., Pané-Farré C.A., Wendt J., Lotze M., Hamm A.O. (2012) Brain activation during anticipation of interoceptive threat. Neuroimage, 61(4): 857-65.
Wattendorf E., Westermann B., Lotze M., Fiedler K, Celio M.R. (2015) Insular-cortex activity and the evocation of laughter. Journal of Comparative Neurology (in press.)

Kreutz, G., Lotze, M. (2007) Neuroscience of music and emotion in: Neurosciences in Music Pedagogy edited by Wilfried Gruhn and Frances Rauscher Nova Science Publishers, Inc. New York, USA

Project funded from 2014 - 2020 by the DFG