The ability to understand emotions is associated with interoception-related insular activation and white matter integrity during aging.

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a major cause of cognitive impairment in elderly people. While most research focuses on the role of the classical vascular risk factors in SVD, a description of the psychophysiological mechanisms leading to the age-related brain damage may open new possibilities for prophylaxis. In the current study, we evaluated the associations between emotional abilities, interoception, and age-related vascular white matter degeneration.