The insula is an area of the cortex that is sandwiched between the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. It communicates information about our internal bodily states to our cortex. In this way, it contributes to experiences of disgust and pain. The insula is activated when we experience the pain of losing money. For example, activity in the insula increases when we look at the price tags of our purchases and it decreases when we pay with credit cards as opposed to cash.