Insular cortex–a site of vestibular and sensory control: Evidence from stroke lesion study

Background and Purpose: In previous imaging studies the insular cortex (IC) has been identified as an essential part of the processing of a wide spectrum of perception and sensorimotor integration. However, there are no systematic lesion studies in a sufficient number of patients examining how damage to the IC affects processing of vestibular and sensory signals. We chose acute stroke patients with lesions affecting the IC in order to fill this gap. Methods: In detail, we explored signs of a vestibular tone imbalance such as the deviation of the subjective visual vertical (SVV), and we performed comprehensive se…