title: Will studies of macaque insula reveal the neural mechanisms of self-awareness?
abstract: The discovery of von Economo neurons within macaque insular cortex by Evrard et al. (2012) described in this issue of Neuron promises a valuable experimental model to characterize their functional roles. One hypothesis, now open to wider interrogation, is that these intriguing cells mediate self-referential processes underlying or dependent upon consciousness awareness.
authors.affiliation: Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QJ, UK. h.critchley@bsms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Critchley
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seth