A role for the interoceptive insular cortex in the consolidation of learned fear

•The interoceptive insular cortex is required for the long term storage of learned fear in rats.•The interoceptive insular cortex is not required for the expression of fear during the acquisition of learned fear.•The long term inactivation of the interoceptive insular cortex decreases the expression of learned fear.•The expression of conditioned fear increases the neural activity of the insular cortex.