The paralimbic cortex is an area of three-layered

cortex Cortex or cortical may refer to: Biology * Cortex (anatomy), the outermost layer of an organ ** Cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the vertebrate cerebrum, part of which is the ''forebrain'' *** Motor cortex, the regions of the cerebral cortex i ...

that includes the following regions: the

piriform cortex The piriform cortex, or pyriform cortex, is a region in the brain, part of the rhinencephalon situated in the cerebrum. The function of the piriform cortex relates to the sense of smell. Structure The piriform cortex is part of the rhinencepha ...

entorhinal cortex The entorhinal cortex (EC) is an area of the brain's allocortex, located in the medial temporal lobe, whose functions include being a widespread network hub for memory, navigation, and the perception of time.Integrating time from experience in the ...

, the

parahippocampal cortex The parahippocampal gyrus (or hippocampal gyrus') is a grey matter cortical region of the brain that surrounds the hippocampus and is part of the limbic system. The region plays an important role in memory encoding and retrieval. It has been inv ...

on the medial surface of the

temporal lobe The temporal lobe is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The temporal lobe is located beneath the lateral fissure on both cerebral hemispheres of the mammalian brain. The temporal lobe is involved in pro ...

, and the cingulate cortex just above the

corpus callosum The corpus callosum (Latin for "tough body"), also callosal commissure, is a wide, thick nerve tract, consisting of a flat bundle of commissural fibers, beneath the cerebral cortex in the brain. The corpus callosum is only found in placental m ...

.Kolb & Whishaw: ''Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology'', 2003. The paralimbic cortex lies close to, and is directly connected with, the structures of the limbic system. (The prefix ''para'' meaning beside or adjacent to.) The paralimbic cortex, also referred to as the

mesocortex Mesocortex (also called juxtallocortex) is the transitional areas of the cerebral cortex, formed at borders between true isocortex and true allocortex (either paleocortex or archicortex). Parts of mesocortex that lie closer to the true isocortex an ...

, or juxtallocortex, is interposed between the neocortex and the

allocortex The allocortex or heterogenetic cortex, and neocortex are the two types of cerebral cortex in the brain. The allocortex is the much smaller area of cortex taking up just 10 %, the neocortex takes up the remaining 90 %. It is characterized by havi ...

. The paralimbic cortex provides a gradual transition from primary limbic regions, including the septal region, substantia innominata, and the

amygdala The amygdala (; plural: amygdalae or amygdalas; also '; Latin from Greek, , ', 'almond', 'tonsil') is one of two almond-shaped clusters of nuclei located deep and medially within the temporal lobes of the brain's cerebrum in complex verte ...

nuclei, to higher neocortical regions. There are dense connections between the paralimbic cortex and core limbic structures, in particular the amygdala. The amygdaloid complex comprises both nuclear and cortical layers. These cortical features of the amygdala often extend into the paralimbic areas, blurring the boundaries between limbic and paralimbic regions. Thus, these regions may collectively be termed the ‘paralimbic system’. It is cytoarchitecturally defined: it has three layers, where layers 2, 3 and 4 are merged, and is intermediate in form between the

(less than six layers) and the neocortex (six distinct layers). It is found within the limbic system, representing the border between neocortical and allocortical parts. It has been hypothesized that the cortex should be viewed as concentric rings of allocortex, mesocortex (paralimbic cortex), and isocortex (neocortex).Reep R. Relationship between prefrontal and limbic cortex: a comparative anatomical review. Brain Behav Evol. 1984;25(1):5-80.

Functions

The paralimbic cortex serves as a transitional region between the neocortex and the allocortex incorporating a region of proisocortex, as a subdivision of the neocortex, and a region of periallocortex, as a subdivision of the allocortex. It constitutes a group of interconnecting brain structures that are involved in the functions of emotion processing,

goal setting A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. A goal is roughly similar to a purpose or a ...

, motivation and

self-control Self-control, an aspect of inhibitory control, is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. As an executive function, it is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one' ...

References

Hippocampus (brain) Cerebral cortex {{Neuroanatomy-stub

Functions

See also

References