The hippocampus is a small region of the brain that is associated with the limbic system (Mandal, n.d). It can be found in the medial temporal lobe of the brain, beneath the cortical surface (Mandal, n.d). It is separated into two half’s that reside on the left and right side of the brains hemispheres (Mandal, n.d). The first description of the hippocampus was given by anatomist Julius Caesar in 1587 (Mandal, n.d). Caesar described the shape first as a silkworm, but would later describe it as a seahorse (Mandal, n.d) The purpose of this paper is to establish the functions of the hippocampus, Diseases and illness’s that harm or alter the hippocampus, as well as research that has been aided in the understanding of the hippocampus. As well as, …show more content…
The hippocampus plays an essential role in long term memory (Memory loss & the brain, 2010). An assumption that many people have is that memories are stored in the hippocampus, which is not true. A simpler way to imagine the hippocampus’s role in long term memory is to think of it as a door that information must go through to get permanently stored in the brain (Memory loss & the brain 2010). After a memory has passed through the hippocampus and is stored permanently it will stay there despite damage to the hippocampus (Bird, Burgess. 2008). The hippocampus’s role in spatial navigation has been and still is a controversy (Bird, Burgess. 2008). However, over the years research has been done to find that the hippocampus is essential in spatial navigation, but the controversy now is how? (Bird, Burgess. 2008). What is known …show more content…
2013). Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that starts at a slow pace and proceeds faster over time (Edit, Oliver. 2013). Studies into the magnetic resonance imaging of patients with Alzheimer’s have discovered a smaller hippocampus, than those who do not suffer from the disease (Edit, Oliver. 2013). Alzheimer’s speeds up an individual’s atrophy rate, causing the brain to shrink at a faster pace than individuals who are not suffering from the disease (Edit, Oliver. 2013). The shrinking of parts of the brain including the hippocampus can be seen in the long term memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients (Edit, Oliver. 2013). In addition to Alzheimer’s there are many other things that have an affect the hippocampus. Such as, Oxygen deprivation (Hypoxia) which can have serious effects on the hippocampus. Hypoxia could happen in result of heart attacks, respiratory failure, carbon monoxide poisoning, near drowning, and sleep apnea to name a few (Memory loss & the brain.
26. The hippocampus is a curved structure located within each temporal lobe, responsible for the formation of long-term
“Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain's nerve cells, or neurons, resulting in loss of memory, thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes. These neurons, which produce the brain chemical, or neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, break connections with other nerve cells and ultimately die. For example, short-term memory fails when Alzheimer's disease first destroys nerve cells in the hippocampus” (Alzheimer’s Association Foundation.) The destruction of the hippocampus is very serious because the hippocampus is a structure in the brain’s limbic system that plays an important part role in memory (Ettinger 91.) Its is responsible for forming organizing and storing memories.It connects the memories to structures and senses like smell and sound. “The hippocampus is a horseshoe shaped paired structure, with one hippocampus located in the left brain hemisphere and the other in the right hemisphere. The hippocampus acts as a
the hippocampus: involved in imagining new experiences and possible future events as well as spatial context being the critical ingredient the hippocampus provides for imagining new experiences and possible future
Alzheimer’s disease is the progressive loss of memory and mental functions. The disease affects memory, thought control, language, and other cognitive functions. The disease typically appears with old age and is often found age 60. Alzheimer’s causes the brain to develop clumps and tangles fibers in the brain tissue along with the loss of neuron connections. Throughout the brain, proteins are abnormally distributed and they form tangled bundles of fibers and amyloid plaques. Some neurons fail to function properly and lose their connections, which are necessary for the transmission of messages to the body. The hippocampus is the key brain structure in the formation of memories and often experiences the first signs of damage.
Since it is close structurally to the hippocampus, the amygdala is involved in controlling memory consolidation, especially emotional memories; when a memory is emotionally charged, it has a better retention rate than one that is not. The hippocampus is generally seen as having an essential role in the creation of new memories about past experiences; it's even responsible for memories that can be verbalized also known as declarative memory. Damage to it result in difficulties in forming new memories and being able to access new memories formed before the
Among these different processes are encoding, storage, consolidation, and retrieval. This study hypothesized that the hippocampus plays a different role in each of these. The method of this study is especially unique because it used temporary chemical inactivation of the hippocampus, which had not been done before. This temporary inactivation is unique because it lets the researchers selectively assess the role of the hippocampus during each of the processes discussed above. To test encoding, the inactivation occurred during learning of a maze task; to test retrieval, inactivation occurred during a retention task. Results indicate the temporary inactivation of the hippocampus impairs both encoding and retrieval. To test long-term consolidation, rats were trained and then separate groups received hippocampal treatment for different amounts of time between one and five days. Results showed that temporary inactivation during this time period disrupts memory for the already learned task. This study partially supports the result of the study by Eldridge et al. (2000) in that they both show the hippocampus is necessary for memory retrieval. However, it does not address the retrieval of different types of memory. This study also supports the idea from Wang et al. (2012) that the hippocampus may be involved in consolidation and storage of new memories but not necessarily of older
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, and accounts for more than half of the dementia cases. The disease was named after German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906. Increased levels of protein inside and outside the brain’s nervous cells make it hard to stay healthy, causing them to deteriorate and eventually die. The brain region called the hippocampus is the center of learning and memory in the brain, and the cells in this region are often the first to be damaged. Eventually, the size of the hippocampus will become smaller from lack of cell growth. An MRI
(Parkin, 1996). In addition, hippocampus is part of the limbic system in the brain that is shape like a seahorse and is located within in the temporal lobes. The hippocampus is involved in memory forming, organizing, and storing (Bailey). Moreover, “The hippocampus acts as a memory indexer by sending memories out to the appropriate part of the cerebral hemisphere for long-term storage and retrieving them when necessary” (Bailey). Furthermore, the afferent and efferent of the hippocampus are packed together and goes the same way. According to an article from University of Texas Medical
Hippocampus is a small, curved region, which exists in both hemispheres of the brain and plays a vital role in emotions, learning and acquisition of new information. It also contributes majorly to long term memory, which is permanent information stored in the brain. Although long term memory is the last information that can be forgotten, its impairment has become very common nowadays. The dysfunction is exemplified by many neurological disorders such as amnesia. There are two types of amnesia, anterograde and retrograde. Anterograde amnesia is inability in forming new information, while retrograde refers to the loss of the past memory. As suggested by Cipolotti and Bird (2006), hippocampus’s lesions are
involved in memory storage. The hippocampus is a place in the brain that is used to
Doctors and scientists dispute the exact role of the hippocampus, but agree that it has an essential role in the formation of new memories about personally experienced events. Some researchers prefer to consider the hippocampus as part of a larger medial temporal lobe memory system responsible for declarative memory. When a long-term, declarative memory is made, certain neuronal connections in the temporal lobe are strengthened, and others are weakened. These changes are fairly permanent, however some may take weeks or months before they are complete
The hippocampus is located in the brain’s medial temporal lobe, near the center of the brain. This part of the brain is involved with the storage of long-term memory. Therefore, when I have begun to socialize with my friends and playing cards with them, the hippocampus will allow for everyone to form immediate and long term memories of that evening.
The brain is dividing into several sections, including the cerebellum, the frontal lobe, and the temporal lobe, among others. The temporal lobe exists in two parts, one on each side of the brain close to the ears. It is largely responsible for the memory system (2). On the medial surface of the temporal lobe there are three important structure that are essential for human functioning. These structures are named, in order from rostral to caudal, the olfactory cortex, the amygdala, and the hippocampus. Together these three structures are referred to as the "limbic system" (1). Their functions became understood after studying how the brain functions upon loss of each structure. For example, in 1953, a patient suffering from epilepsy underwent surgery which removed most of his medial temporal lobe (1). After the surgery, the patient was able to remember who he was and was able to carry out coherent, intelligent conversations. However, if the person with whom he was talking left the room, he would have no
Without the hippocampus, the information from the short-term memory (STM) cannot be stored in long term memory (LTM). The hippocampus is a very important part of the human brain to store our memories. If we lost it, we will lose all our conscious memories. From Henry’s case, it also discovered that there are multiple memory storage areas located at different parts of the brain while the hippocampus is important to consolidate short-term memory to long-term memory. The removal of hippocampus caused Henry to suffer until he died as he lost the ability to make new conscious