Cerebral Cortical Classification
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cerebral cortical classifications
Three distinct histological patterns:
Neocortex (aka isocortex)
See: Neocortical Layers
- Is phylogenetically new, and comprises six histologically distinct layers.
- It constitutes roughly 90% of the cerebral cortex.
Allocortex
- Allocortex is phylogenetically old, comprises as few as 3 layers (up to 5 layers).
- It comprises the olfactory cortex, uncus of the parahippocampal gyrus (which is its medial thumb) and the hippocampus and associated dentate gyrus.
- The allocortex further subdivides into:
- Paleocortex (eg, olfactory cortex)
- Archicortex (ancient cortex: eg, hippocampus)
Mesocortex
- Represents transitional cortex between neocortex and allocortex.
- Comprises the cingulate gyrus and the remainder of the parahippocampal gyrus.
- Mesocortex further subdivides into:
- Periallocortex (which divides into peripaleocortex and periarchicortex)
- Proisocortex