Pallium

The cerebral cortex, or pallium, constitutes the layer of gray matter covering each cerebral hemisphere.

The term “cerebral cortex” is used in macroscopic anatomy to designate this cortical layer, whereas the term “pallium” is employed in embryological and histological neuroanatomy, in reference to its subdivisions:

• The paleopallium (paleocortex), with three layers, located primarily in the rhinencephalon.

• The archipallium (archicortex), also three-layered, associated with the hippocampus.

• The neopallium (neocortex or isocortex), with six cellular layers, representing the majority of the cortex and corresponding to the most recently evolved part.

The term “allocortex” encompasses the paleopallium and archipallium, as opposed to the neocortex.

The pallium exhibits gyri on its surface, separated by sulci. It covers the dorsolateral surface of the hemisphere, whereas the ventral region corresponds to the rhinencephalon.

Functionally, the cerebral cortex is involved in sensory, motor, cognitive, mnemonic, and emotional processes.