Craig A D
Atkinson Pain Research Laboratory, Division of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA.
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2003 Aug;13(4):500-5. doi: 10.1016/s0959-4388(03)00090-4.
Converging evidence indicates that primates have a distinct cortical image of homeostatic afferent activity that reflects all aspects of the physiological condition of all tissues of the body. This interoceptive system, associated with autonomic motor control, is distinct from the exteroceptive system (cutaneous mechanoreception and proprioception) that guides somatic motor activity. The primary interoceptive representation in the dorsal posterior insula engenders distinct highly resolved feelings from the body that include pain, temperature, itch, sensual touch, muscular and visceral sensations, vasomotor activity, hunger, thirst, and 'air hunger'. In humans, a meta-representation of the primary interoceptive activity is engendered in the right anterior insula, which seems to provide the basis for the subjective image of the material self as a feeling (sentient) entity, that is, emotional awareness.
越来越多的证据表明，灵长类动物具有稳态传入活动的独特皮质表征，该表征反映了身体所有组织生理状况的各个方面。这种与自主运动控制相关的内感受系统，与指导躯体运动活动的外感受系统（皮肤机械感受和本体感受）不同。背侧后岛叶中的主要内感受表征会产生来自身体的不同的、高度清晰的感觉，包括疼痛、温度、瘙痒、感官触觉、肌肉和内脏感觉、血管运动活动、饥饿、口渴和“空气饥饿”。在人类中，主要内感受活动的元表征产生于右侧前岛叶，这似乎为物质自我作为一个有感觉（有知觉）的实体的主观形象提供了基础，即情感意识。
