Oxytocin modulation of the insular cortex: implications for social cognition and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Abstract

Social cognition relies on the integration of sensory information, emotional cues, and internal bodily signals to guide behavior toward others. The insular cortex (IC) is anatomically and functionally well positioned to support this integration, as it receives interoceptive input and connects sensory, limbic, and autonomic systems. Accumulating evidence across species suggests that the IC contributes to social behavior through at least two complementary modes of processing: emotional mirroring, which links observed social cues to internal affective states, and contextual modulation, which adjusts social behavior according to familiarity, prior experience, and internal state. In this Mini Review, we discuss how neuromodulatory systems shape these modes of IC processing, with a particular focus on oxytocin (OXT). In rodents, OXT signaling within the IC influences social affective behaviors under specific social conditions, whereas human studies report heterogeneous and context-dependent effects of OXT on IC activity. Altered IC function and OXT signaling have also been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social deficits, including autism spectrum disorder. We propose that OXT modulates IC function in a context- and state-dependent manner, shaping social cognition by influencing how interoceptive, emotional, and contextual information is integrated.