Human neuropathological studies suggest that von Economo neurons (VENs) in the anterior insula cortex have roles in self-awareness and social cognition. However, invasive studies to investigate the possible roles of VENs have not been undertaken, as it was thought that these neurons were only present in humans and other hominids. Evrard et al. now show that two species of macaque that are used in laboratory research harbour neurons in the anterior insula that resemble VENs from hominids in various ways, including size, morphology and laminar distribution. This discovery opens up new possibilities for investigating the role of VENs in higher brain functions.