Sorg Christian, Schlegel Jürgen, Förstl Hans
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München.
Neuropsychiatr. 2010;24(1):64-6.
New research suggests a pivotal role of the anterior insular cortex for the integration of somatic sensation and for intuitive decisions in complex social situations. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has demonstrated a close coupling between the anterior insular cortex and the anterior cingulate gyrus, the only areas with von Economo-neurons. These large spindle cells are exclusively found in species with complex social lifes (apes, cetaceans). Observations in humans showed decreased numbers of von Economo neurons in patients with frontotemporal dementia, or agenesis of the corpus callosum, conditions with impaired theory of mind and interpersonal behaviour. It almost appears as if spindle cells would reach out from the realm of subconscious gut-feelings into the premises of conscious prefrontal planning.
新研究表明，前脑岛皮质在整合躯体感觉以及在复杂社会情境中做出直觉决策方面起着关键作用。功能磁共振成像（fMRI）已证明前脑岛皮质与前扣带回之间存在紧密耦合，前扣带回是仅有的含有冯·埃科诺莫神经元的区域。这些大型纺锤状细胞仅在具有复杂社会生活的物种（猿类、鲸类）中发现。对人类的观察显示，额颞叶痴呆患者或胼胝体发育不全患者（这些病症存在心理理论和人际行为受损的情况）的冯·埃科诺莫神经元数量减少。几乎可以说，纺锤状细胞似乎是从潜意识的直觉领域延伸到有意识的前额叶规划之中。
