The study investigates the neural systems supporting interoceptive awareness, focusing on the role of the right anterior insula in processing bodily responses and subjective emotional experiences. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researchers measured brain activity during an interoceptive task where subjects judged the timing of their heartbeats. Enhanced activity was observed in the insula, somatomotor, and cingulate cortices. Specifically, activity in the right anterior insular/opercular cortex predicted interoceptive accuracy and correlated with subjective ratings of visceral awareness. Negative emotional experiences also correlated with interoceptive accuracy. These findings suggest that the right anterior insula plays a crucial role in representing visceral responses and contributing to subjective feeling states. The study further examines the relationship between interoceptive awareness, subjective emotional experience, and brain activity, highlighting the importance of the right anterior insula in mediating these processes.The study investigates the neural systems supporting interoceptive awareness, focusing on the role of the right anterior insula in processing bodily responses and subjective emotional experiences. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researchers measured brain activity during an interoceptive task where subjects judged the timing of their heartbeats. Enhanced activity was observed in the insula, somatomotor, and cingulate cortices. Specifically, activity in the right anterior insular/opercular cortex predicted interoceptive accuracy and correlated with subjective ratings of visceral awareness. Negative emotional experiences also correlated with interoceptive accuracy. These findings suggest that the right anterior insula plays a crucial role in representing visceral responses and contributing to subjective feeling states. The study further examines the relationship between interoceptive awareness, subjective emotional experience, and brain activity, highlighting the importance of the right anterior insula in mediating these processes.