Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40316132›Full record

ArticleBiological psychology2025

Insular functional connectivity in autistic and non-autistic development.

Alisa R Zoltowski, Michelle D Failla, Fiona Wu, Caitlin A Convery, Brianna Lewis, Neil D Woodward, Baxter P Rogers, Carissa J Cascio

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biological psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Autism Sensory Profiles Predict Stimulus- Evoked Insula Connectivity.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Alisa R ZoltowskiLife Span Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. Electronic address: alisa.r.zoltowski@vanderbilt.edu.
Michelle D FaillaCollege of Nursing, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Fiona WuVanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
Caitlin A ConveryDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Brianna LewisDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Neil D WoodwardDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Baxter P RogersDepartment of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, USA; Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN, USA.
Carissa J CascioLife Span Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.

Funding

The Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (VICTR)UL1TR000445 · NCATS · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI BERNARD, GORDON RAPHAEL · 2012 to 2016
$41.4M
Overall: Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center at VanderbiltP50HD103537 · NICHD · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI Lea K Davis · 2020 to 2026
$10.3M
Training in Fundamental NeuroscienceT32MH064913 · NIMH · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · PI IHRIE, REBECCA A, WINDER, DANNY G. · 2001 to 2022
$7.6M
Sensorimotor integration governing facial expression production in autism.R01MH102272 · NIMH · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI CASCIO, CARISSA J · 2014 to 2023
$4.3M
Neurobehavioral Investigation of Tactile Features in Autism Spectrum DisordersK01MH090232 · NIMH · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · PI CASCIO, CARISSA J · 2011 to 2014
$646k
Mapping Thalamocortical Networks Across Development in ASDR21MH101321 · NIMH · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI CASCIO, CARISSA J, WOODWARD, NEIL D. · 2014 to 2015
$432k
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR000445NICHD NIH HHS P50 HD103537NIMH NIH HHS K01 MH090232NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH102272NIMH NIH HHS R21 MH101321NIMH NIH HHS T32 MH064913
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere is evidence for altered interoceptive processing in individuals diagnosed with autism, compared to non-autistic individuals. At a neural level, functional and structural connectivity of interoceptive cortices may differ in autism, though developmental patterns of these differences are unclear as well as how these patterns may vary by subregion within the insular cortex. To better understand the roles of autism, age, and subregion in interoceptive connectivity patterns, we used a cross-sectional approach to examine interoceptive functional connectivity across individuals spanning a wide age range.

methodsN = 59 autistic individuals (ages 7-54) and N = 71 non-autistic individuals (ages 7-51) completed a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. From these scans, we analyzed seed-based functional connectivity of insula subregions (posterior, middle, and anterior) by hemisphere. We analyzed associations with age, group, and interoceptive self-reported experiences, as measured in a subset of individuals who completed the Body Perception Questionnaire.

resultsWe found that with age, primary interoceptive cortex showed decreased functional coupling with subcortical regions such as the thalamus and increased coupling with multimodal parietal regions. Functional connectivity within key interoceptive areas was decreased in those with increased reported body awareness. Differences between the autistic and non-autistic groups were minimal, with a single finding of heightened connectivity in autism between left posterior insula and lateral occipital cortex.

conclusionsThese findings shed light on potential developmental shifts in how interoceptive processing is balanced between lower-order and higher-order areas. Further, they provide background for how autistic patterns of interoceptive processing may be considered relative to age.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderCerebral CortexInsular CortexInteroceptionAdolescentAdultBrain MappingChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNeural PathwaysYoung AdultAutismDevelopmentFunctional connectivityInsulaInteroceptionResting state

Identifiers

PMID40316132
PMCPMC13322401

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.