Participation of the insula in language

Abstract

Many investigators have suggested that damage to the left insula plays a role in aphasia. Among the various language disturbances associated with damage in the insula are Broca's aphasia, conduction aphasia, Wernicke's aphasia and subcortical aphasia. Although a wide variety of language disturbances have been related to insula damage, whether the damage to the insula was instrumental or merely based on its close anatomical juxtaposition to other language-significant neuroanatomical areas has never been clear. Recent studies of anatomical connections of the insula, point to an important viscero-limbic role and it can be suggested that the insula may influence verbal affect, a true language role.