Insular Cortex or Insula:

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The insular cortex or insula is a brain region involved in sensory processing (perception of taste, smell, pain, and the integration of interoceptive signals, like heartbeat or body temperature); emotional regulation; cognitive functions (decision-making, working memory, self-awareness), and other motor and bodily functions. Its located deep within the brain, surrounded by the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. It’s divided into:  

• Anterior insula, the front portion of the insular, responsible for emotional awareness, subjective feeling states, and integrating interoceptive (internal body state) information with emotional, cognitive, and motivational signals.
• Posterior insula, the back portion, functions as a sensory association area, processing and relaying raw sensory data from the body, such as touch, pain, and temperature, to the anterior insula

Dorsal insula, in the anterior insula, is involved in executive control, cognitive processing, and coordinating brain networks (for attention, working memory, response inhibition). It also processes and integrates sensorimotor information with cognitive and emotional processing