Humans have known about the hippocampus for more than 4 centuries. It is one of the most studied parts of the brain.
The name comes from the Greek words hippo, meaning horse, and kampo, meaning monster, as its shape resembles that of a sseahorse
Its main functions involve human learning and memory. Knowing about the hippocampus has helped researchers understand how memory works
Function
The hippocampus is part of the limbic system, which is associated with the functions of feeling and reacting.
The limbic system is situated on the edge of the cortex, and it includes the hypothalamus and the amygdala.
These structures help control different bodily functions, such as the endocrine system and what is commonly known as the “fight or flight” reaction
Hippocampus and memory
The hippocampus helps humans process and retrieve two kinds of memory, declarative memories and spatial relationships.
Declarative memories are those related to facts and events. Examples 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.
The hippocampus is also where short-term memories are turned into long-term memories. These are then stored elsewhere in the brain.
Research has shown that nerve cells continue to developTrusted Source throughout adulthood. The hippocampus is one of the few places in the brain new nerve cells are generated
What is the hippocampus?
Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, M.D. — Written by Danielle Dresden on December 7, 2017
Function
What can go wrong?
Diseases that affect the hippocampus
What happens if the hippocampus is small?
Current research
The hippocampus is a part of the brain. It is found in the inner folds of the bottom middle section of the brain, known as the temporal lobe.
Humans have known about the hippocampus for more than 4 centuries. It is one of the most studied parts of the brain.
The name comes from the Greek words hippo, meaning horse, and kampo, meaning monster, as its shape resembles that of a sseahorse
Its main functions involve human learning and memory. Knowing about the hippocampus has helped researchers understand how memory works.
Photo editing by Stephen Kelly; koto_feja/Getty Images
Function
The hippocampus is part of the limbic system, which is associated with the functions of feeling and reacting.
The limbic system is situated on the edge of the cortex, and it includes the hypothalamus and the amygdala.
These structures help control different bodily functions, such as the endocrine system and what is commonly known as the “fight or flight” reaction.
Hippocampus and memory
The hippocampus helps humans process and retrieve two kinds of memory, declarative memories and spatial relationships.
Declarative memories are those related to facts and events. Examples 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.
The hippocampus is also where short-term memories are turned into long-term memories. These are then stored elsewhere in the brain.
Research has shown that nerve cells continue to developTrusted Source throughout adulthood. The hippocampus is one of the few places in the brain new nerve cells are generated.
What can go wrong?
If one or both parts of the hippocampus are damaged by illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, or if they are hurt in an accident, the person can experience a loss of memory and a loss of the ability to make new, long-term memories.
They may be unable to remember some things that happened shortly before the hippocampal damage, but they may still remember things that happened longer ago. This is because the long-term memories are stored in another part of the brain, once they become long term.
Transient global amnesia is a specific form of memory loss that develops suddenly, seemingly on its own, and then goes away fairly quickly.
Most people with transient global amnesia eventually regain their memories, but the reasons why the problem occurs and why it resolves are unclear. It may be that damage to the hippocampus is involved.
Damage to the hippocampus can make it hard to remember how to get from one place to another. The person may be able to draw a map of the neighborhood they lived in as children, but find going to a store in a new area can be difficult.
It has also been linked to conditions such as schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
