Anil K. Seth proposes a predictive, inferential model of interoception, termed 'interoceptive inference,' which views subjective emotional states as arising from the brain's active inference of the causes of internal physiological signals. This model extends traditional appraisal theories of emotion, suggesting that emotions emerge from cognitive evaluations of physiological changes. It also highlights the role of the anterior insular cortex (AIC) in processing interoceptive signals and integrating them with other sensory information to support the experience of body ownership and conscious selfhood. The model applies predictive coding principles to interoception, positing that the brain continuously minimizes prediction errors between internal physiological states and its models of these states. This process involves both updating generative models and performing actions to align sensory experiences with predictions. Interoceptive inference is central to understanding emotional awareness and the experience of body ownership, and it has implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Evidence supports the role of the AIC in interoceptive inference, as it is involved in processing interoceptive signals and integrating them with other sensory information. Studies show that the AIC is activated in response to anticipated and actual interoceptive events, such as pain and itch, and that its activity is linked to emotional awareness and self-representation. The AIC is also involved in the regulation of autonomic reflexes and the integration of interoceptive and exteroceptive signals. The model suggests that interoceptive inference is crucial for understanding emotional states and selfhood, and that disruptions in this process may contribute to disorders such as anxiety and psychosis. Future research should explore the neural mechanisms underlying interoceptive inference, including the role of neurotransmitters and the functional connectivity patterns involved in integrating interoceptive and exteroceptive signals. The model also highlights the importance of predictive multisensory integration in shaping self-experience, as demonstrated by experiments such as the rubber hand illusion.Anil K. Seth proposes a predictive, inferential model of interoception, termed 'interoceptive inference,' which views subjective emotional states as arising from the brain's active inference of the causes of internal physiological signals. This model extends traditional appraisal theories of emotion, suggesting that emotions emerge from cognitive evaluations of physiological changes. It also highlights the role of the anterior insular cortex (AIC) in processing interoceptive signals and integrating them with other sensory information to support the experience of body ownership and conscious selfhood. The model applies predictive coding principles to interoception, positing that the brain continuously minimizes prediction errors between internal physiological states and its models of these states. This process involves both updating generative models and performing actions to align sensory experiences with predictions. Interoceptive inference is central to understanding emotional awareness and the experience of body ownership, and it has implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Evidence supports the role of the AIC in interoceptive inference, as it is involved in processing interoceptive signals and integrating them with other sensory information. Studies show that the AIC is activated in response to anticipated and actual interoceptive events, such as pain and itch, and that its activity is linked to emotional awareness and self-representation. The AIC is also involved in the regulation of autonomic reflexes and the integration of interoceptive and exteroceptive signals. The model suggests that interoceptive inference is crucial for understanding emotional states and selfhood, and that disruptions in this process may contribute to disorders such as anxiety and psychosis. Future research should explore the neural mechanisms underlying interoceptive inference, including the role of neurotransmitters and the functional connectivity patterns involved in integrating interoceptive and exteroceptive signals. The model also highlights the importance of predictive multisensory integration in shaping self-experience, as demonstrated by experiments such as the rubber hand illusion.