How we know the exact position of the counterpart of the structures in human brain

Subcortical regions, such as the amygdala, the nucleus accumbens, and the mesotelencephalic dopamine system, have been shown in animal models to promote the self-administration of drugs of abuse. Functional imaging studies have shown that exposure to drug-associated cues activates cortical regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, and the insula, which are the most likely region that are responsible for drug addiction.

A research group from University of Southern California recently found that smokers with brain damage involving the insula, a region implicated in conscious urges, were more likely than smokers with brain damage not involving the insula to undergo a disruption of smoking addiction. (see details in http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/315/5811/531)

I thus wonder whether this experiment could possibly be replicated in mouse or rat model of drug addiction.Anyway, without validated animal models, this phenomenon cannot be further investigated or proved to be useful in practice. Do you think it might be the next step that ensues the initial discovery?

As for my part, it would be necessary to make it sure that it is feasible for experimental test.

I have looked for the word insula cortex in the atlas of mouse brain and found the following names and positions:
AI agranular insular cortex 0, 10-14
AID agranular insular cortex, dorsal part 0, 15-27, 114-132
AIP agranular insular cortex, posterior part 0,28-40, 129-132
AIV agranular insular cortex, ventral part 0,15-27, 114-132
DI dysgranular insular cortex 15-40, 120-132
GI granular insular cortex 18-40, 121-132




Obviously, there is a region in mouse brain corresponding to the insular cortex in human brain. But, further reflection begets the question that how we know the alleged part, very tricky and fine regions, are functioning the same as insular cortex in human brain? That is to say, how do we map the mouse brain and designate names that are used in defining structures in human brain to mouse brain? As far as insular cortex is concerned, the case becomes so difficult especially considering its hidding posture inside the cortex while, by contrast, mice have no such a covert part.

Given that there is indeed a brain region in mouse named insular cortex, which is presumably functioning the same as its counterpart in human brain, it seems that we do have a chance to establish the causal relationship between the impaired insular cortex and loss of addiction in certain mouse model of drug abuse. Do you think so?