paleopallium

anatomy

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July 23, 2026

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The paleopallium, in the context of vertebrate brain anatomy, refers to the olfactory lobe. It is the most primitive part of the cerebral hemispheres and primarily serves as an association area for processing smell-related impulses. In early vertebrates, the forebrain was divided into the olfactory bulb and the cerebral hemisphere, with the paleopallium being the main component of the hemisphere dedicated to smell. As evolution progressed, the importance of smell diminished in some species, leading to a reduction in the size of the olfactory lobes. In mammals, the paleopallium evolved into the pyriform lobe, a smaller ventral region of the hemisphere.12

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nervous system
Dominance of the cerebrum
…time, referred to as the paleopallium, is merely an olfactory lobe serving as an association area for olfactory impulses. The olfactory lobes are prominent in animals such as amphibians, but in birds and primates in which the sense of smell is less important the lobes are reduced in extent. In…
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…time, referred to as the paleopallium, is merely an olfactory lobe serving as an association area for olfactory impulses. The olfactory lobes are prominent in animals such as amphibians, but in birds and primates in which the sense of smell is less important the lobes are reduced in extent. In…
Read More