Island of Reil (Insula) in the Human Brain: Anatomical, Functional, Clinical and Surgical Aspects

This book provides an in-depth review of the insula, with emphasis on anatomical, diagnostics, clinical, and surgical features. The insular cortex is involved in a variety of functions, but a comprehensive resource cataloging these functions is not available in the current literature. This book gathers highly informative chapters written and edited by leading international authorities in the field and covers the full range of the insular cortex, approaching it in four main sections: firstly, the embryology and anatomy of the human insula; secondly, the functions of the human insula, including its role in nociception, language, decision making, cognition, emotional awareness etc.; thirdly, clinical disorders related to the insula such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease; and fourthly, surgical techniques for insular gliomas and temporal lobe epilepsy. This comprehensive reference book will be an ideal source for neurosurgeons, neurologists and neuroanatomists seeking both basic and more advanced information regarding this unique structure in the human brain.

Mehmet Turgut, MD, PhD, graduated from the Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey and later specialized in neurosurgery in Hacettepe University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. In 2004, he received his PhD degree from Ege University Health Sciences Institute. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Neurosurgery, Adnan Menderes University School of Medicine. His fields of expertise and research interests are broad and include developmental neuroscience, neuroanatomy, pediatric neurosurgery, infectious diseases of the central nervous system, peripheral nerve surgery, and experimental pinealectomy. Dr. Turgut is an editorial board member for 24 international journals including Central European Neurosurgery, Journal of Pediatric Neurology, and Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice and a reviewer for a wide range of international journals and research programs. He has authored and co-authored more than 300 papers published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as over 40 books and book chapters.

Canan Yurttaş, MD, is a Professor of Anatomy at Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey. She is the local coordinator between Ege University and EURON, the European Graduate School of Neuroscience and serves as a lecturer at Ege University’s Department of Neuroscience. Her areas of interest include DTI imaging, neurostereology and Klinger’s method of white matter dissection of the nervous system. She has 25 years of teaching and research experience and has authored and co-authored more than 30 papers published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as 5 books and book chapters.

R. Shane Tubbs, MS, PA-C, PhD is a Professor of Anatomy at St. George’s University, Grenada and has honorary professorships at Dundee University and Vanderbilt University.  He is also Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of the Seattle Science Foundation in Seattle, WA.  Dr. Tubbs’ research interests are centered on “reverse translational anatomy research” where clinical problems are identified and solved with anatomical studies. Dr. Tubbs also serves on the editorial board of 10 anatomical journals and has reviewed for over 100 scientific journals. He has been a visiting professor to major institutions in the US and worldwide. Dr. Tubbs has authored over 20 books and over 50 book chapters. He is an editor for the 41st edition of Gray’s Anatomy and is the editor-in-chief of the journal Clinical Anatomy.