Hippocampus

The main functions of the hippocampus involve human learning and memory. It is a part of the brain found in the inner folds of the temporal lobe. Knowing about the hippocampus has helped researchers understand how memory works. Humans have known about the hippocampus for more than four centuries. The surgeon Julius Caesar Arantius hippokampos) based on its shape. Share on Pinterest Photo editing by Stephen Kelly; koto_feja/Getty Images The hippocampus is part of the limbic system, which The limbic system is situated on the edge of the cortex, and it includes the These structures help control different bodily functions, such as the endocrine system and what is commonly known as the “ Hippocampus and memory The hippocampus helps humans process and retrieve two Declarative memories are those related to facts and events. Examples can include learning how to memorize speeches or lines in a play. Spatial relationship memories involve pathways or routes. For example, when a cab driver learns a route through a city, they use spatial memory. Spatial relationship memories appear to be stored in the right hippocampus. In addition, short-term memories If one or both parts of the hippocampus are damaged by illnesses such as They may be unable to remember some things that happened shortly before the damage, but they may still remember things that happened long ago. This is because the long-term memories are stored in another part of the brain once they become long-term. Transient global...

hippocampus, region of the hippocampus is hippokampus ( hippos, meaning “horse,” and kampos, meaning “sea monster”), since the structure’s shape resembles that of a Anatomy of the hippocampus The anatomy of the hippocampus is of chief importance to its function. The hippocampus receives input from and sends output to the rest of the brain via a structure known as the entorhinal cortex, which is located beneath the Principal neural circuits The subregions of the hippocampus are connected by two principal neural circuits: the trisynaptic circuit and the monosynaptic circuit. The trisynaptic circuit forwards information from the entorhinal cortex to the dentate gyrus via the perforant path, which perforates through the subiculum. Information then flows from the dentate gyrus to CA3 via the mossy fibre pathway (so named for the extensive branching of its Morphological distinctions The CA fields contain three layers (in contrast to the rest of the brain’s six-layered cortex) and use pyramidal cells (neurons with dendrites that spread to give the cell body a triangular appearance) as the principal excitatory cells. The CA3 region of the hippocampus contains a large excitatory recurrent The Human Brain The dentate gyrus is morphologically distinct from CA fields and contains densely packed granule cells (neurons with relatively small cell bodies). The dentate gyrus is also one of only two regions in the brain known to house Sources of input The hippocampus receives input from mod...

Related: Live Science podcast "Life's Little Mysteries" 22: Mysterious brains What does the hippocampus do? The hippocampus is a heavily investigated part of the brain, but it wasn't until the 1950s that scientists were truly able to grasp what role it plays. In 1953, Henry Molaison consented to an experimental procedure allowing doctors to surgically remove his hippocampus and neighboring regions to address his epilepsy. The surgery stopped his seizures,but caused Molaison to develop a form of amnesia. He was able to form fresh memories but they lasted minutes, and he could no longer permanently store new information, according to neuroscientist Larry R. Squire's 2009 review of Molaison's case, published in the journal Neuron. Molaison described his state as "like waking from a dream … every day is alone in itself," Squire wrote. All Molaison could recall were events that occurred years before his surgery. Still, he did eventually improve his performance on certain motor tasks, such as the ability to draw a shape reflected in a mirror even though he had no recollection of ever having done it before. Molaison's case provided the first scientific evidence that there are multiple types of memory, and that the hippocampus acts in concert with other regions of the brain to encode and store memories. (Molaison lived for another 55 years after his surgery.) Data on Molaison, who went on to become themost intensively studied subject in neuroscience, alongside other patients with ...

Synonyms: Hippocampal formation, Hippocampus proper , The hippocampus is a paired structure present in each temporal lobe of the brain. It takes its name from the Greek word for the seahorse, because it resembles this small upright-swimming fish. The hippocampus is part of a larger structure of the temporal lobe called the hippocampal formation. The hippocampal formation extends from the amygdala anteriorly, to the splenium of the corpus callosum posteriorly. The hippocampal formation is a major part of the • The hippocampus (also known as hippocampus proper or Ammon’s horn), • The dentate gyrus, • The subiculum. The elongated hippocampal structures lie along the longitudinal axis of the lateral ventricles. The hippocampus has many functions, but it is best known for its role in learning and memory. Key facts about the hippocampus Layers Molecular, pyramidal and polymorphic layers Fields CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4 Afferent pathways Entorhinal cortex, septal area, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate gyrus, premammillary region, reticular formation Efferent pathways Septal area (precommissural fornix), anterior thalamic nucleus, hypothalamic mammillary bodies (postcommissural fornix), entorhinal cortex, cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, contralateral hippocampus Functions Learning, memory, aggression, rage, hormone regulation Synonyms: Hippocampal formation, Hippocampus proper , The hippocampus is an elongated convex structure bulging in the floor and medial wall of t...

In 1587, Giulio Cesare Aranzio (Arantius) described the anatomy of the hippocampus in a book. The first drawing of the hippocampus appeared in 1729. By the 1900s, researchers were starting to understand more of its function. Today, researchers are continuing to learn more about the brain and the full function of the hippocampus. • Head trauma • Stress • Depression • Amnesia: Loss of memories • Traumatic brain injury (TBI): a blow to the head that causes severe injury • Alzheimer’s disease: a brain disorder that affects memory and thinking • Epilepsy: brain disorder that causes seizures • Bipolar disorder: a mental condition that causes periods of extreme mania and depression • Schizophrenia: a mental condition that affects thinking, behavior, and feelings • Tyng CM, Amin HU, Saad MNM, Malik AS. Front Psychol. 2017;8:1454. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01454 • Anand KS, Dhikav V. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2012;15(4):239-246. doi:10.4103/0972-2327.104323 • Engelhardt E. Dement Neuropsychol. 2016;10(1):58-62. doi:10.1590/S1980-57642016DN10100011 • Jahn H. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2013 Dec;15(4):445-54. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2013.15.4/hjahn

The hippocampus is part of the limbic system, which directs many bodily functions. This system is located in the brain’s medial temporal lobe, near the center of the brain. The hippocampus gets its name from its shape, being the Latin name for a seahorse. It is a complex structure that plays a role in memory, learning, and movement. It also contributes to emotional behavior. The hippocampus is involved in the storage of long-term memory, which includes all past knowledge and experiences. Scientists are unsure exactly how this occurs. In particular, the hippocampus seems to play a major role in declarative memory, the type of memory involving things that can be purposely recalled, such as facts or events. The hippocampus is not involved with short-term memory and procedural memory types (memory of how to do motor actions, like walking). These are primarily handled by the cortex and the cerebellum. Those that have lost function or had removed major portions of the limbic system but still have the hippocampus, have only long-term memory and cannot record any new memories or functions. Last medically reviewed on January 22, 2018

Educator, Researcher BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester Saul Mcleod, Ph.D., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years experience of working in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology. Learn about our The hippocampus is a curved-shaped structure in the temporal lobe associated with learning and memory. The name being derived from the Greek words for ‘sea monster’ but is more commonly recognizable for being shaped like a seahorse. The hippocampus is considered to be a part of the The hippocampus, which is most strongly associated with the formation of memories, is an early storage place for new long-term memories and is involved in the transition of these long-term memories to more permanent memories. There are two hippocampi in each hemisphere of the brain, located within the temporal lobe, just above each ear. The hippocampus is one of the most studied areas of the brain and is also one of the few places where Historically, the hippocampus was believed to be primarily involved in olfaction (sense of smell), falsely believed to be receiving direct input from the olfactory bulb. However, there continues to be some interest in olfactory responses due to the hippocampus’ role in the memory of odors (e.g., a certain smell bringing up memories of a particular event from the past). The hippocampus is comprised primarily of pyramidal cells, which are multipolar ne...