Some electrophysiological characteristics of insular cortex efferents to the amygdaloid central nucleus in awake rabbits.

Extracellular single unit recordings were obtained from insular cortex neurons that were activated antidromically from the amygdaloid central nucleus in conscious rabbits. Consistent with previous anatomical data, the majority of these neurons were located within the dorsal agranular insula. Ongoing activity in these neurons was infrequent, and was not altered during the presentation of sensory stimuli or during the expression of Pavlovian conditioned bradycardia. These results provide relevant to the functional organization of forebrain area thought to be involved in autonomic control.