# Direct Intracranial Electrophysiological Mapping of Insular Circuits for Anxiety in the Human Brain

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2022 · $201,798

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Anxiety is a common symptom across psychiatric disorders and is associated with worse quality of life and
impairment. However, the existing treatments for anxiety remain limited despite its widespread prevalence. My
career goal is to become an academic psychiatrist and neuroscientist focused on the neural circuits underlying
various dimensions of anxiety in the human brain with the aim of developing targeted novel therapeutics.
Previous studies suggest that the anterior insular cortex is a critical node within a larger corticolimbic `anxiety
network,' which mediates various dimensions of anxiety. It is one of the most heavily implicated regions across
all anxiety disorders and frequently observed in anxiety-related task studies. Despite the large body of
evidence implicating the insular cortex across serious mental illness, the underlying role of insular circuits in
anxiety remains unclear. Intracranial electrophysiological mapping with high density recordings offers a unique
and promising method to study insular networks with high spatiotemporal resolution. To date, there are no
studies that have investigated insular neurophysiology in the context of anxiety-related symptoms using iEEG.
In our pilot studies, we found preliminary evidence that insular activity in distinct spectral bands correlates with
dimensions of anxiety. We also found evidence that stimulation of the anterior insula can elicit an increase in
self-reported anxiety associated with propagation of activity to downstream corticolimbic structures. This
proposal builds upon these preliminary findings to validate our model that distinct spatiotemporally overlapping
insular circuits mediate specific anxiety-related processes through coordinate oscillatory activity. Aim 1 utilizes
a task-based approach to identify insular representations of anxiety-related symptoms and behaviors using
intracranial recordings. Aim 2 tests the role of insular activity on anxiety-related symptoms and downstream
corticolimbic networks using direct electrical stimulation. To address these research goals, I will need
additional training in advance signal processing, affective neuroscience, and biostatistics. My rigorous training
plan and expert mentoring team will provide me with the experience necessary to become a fully independent
investigator able to bring advanced systems neuroscience approaches to basic mental health research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10318646
- **Project number:** 5K23MH125018-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrew Moses Lee
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $201,798
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-01-01 → 2025-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10318646

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10318646, Direct Intracranial Electrophysiological Mapping of Insular Circuits for Anxiety in the Human Brain (5K23MH125018-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10318646. Licensed CC0.

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