Cortical and subcortical mapping of the allostatic-interoceptive system in the human brain: replication and extension with 7 Tesla fMRI.

We used ultra-high field 7 Tesla fMRI to replicate and extend a large-scale brain system supporting interoception and allostasis, entwined processes crucial to the core brain function of coordinating and regulating the internal systems of the body. In particular, we mapped the subcortical extents of this system, several of which are small brainstem nuclei only recently delineated at 7 Tesla. Our findings suggest that investigations of distributed brain networks should not be restricted to the cerebral cortex. We emphasize bodily regulation as a whole-brain phenomenon and highlight its implications for mental and physical health.