Hippocampus
Definition
The hippocampus is a part of the brain that plays a crucial role in forming new memories and connecting emotions and senses, such as smell and sound, to memories.
Analogy
Think of the hippocampus as your brain's librarian. It helps you remember where you left your keys, what you had for breakfast, or the name of that song you heard on the radio. Just like a librarian who organizes books so they can be easily found later, the hippocampus organizes information to make it easier for us to retrieve when needed.
Related terms
Long-term memory: This refers to the unlimited capacity memory store that can hold information over lengthy periods of time.
Episodic Memory: This is a type of long-term memory that involves remembering specific events, situations, or experiences.
Spatial Navigation: This is our ability to navigate through different environments and remember locations or spatial relations between objects.
"Hippocampus" appears in:
Study guides (3)
Practice Questions (14)
If there is damage to the left side of the hippocampus, what kind of information will be hard to remember?
Damage to the right side of the hippocampus may result in difficulties with:
What role does the hippocampus play in memory formation?
Considering that the hippocampus is largely responsible for memory formation, which intervention strategy could best aid a patient struggling with memory-related issues due to traumatic experiences?
Given that the hippocampus plays a significant role in memory formation, what therapeutic approach would a psychologist likely propose to help a trauma victim experiencing intrusive memories?
What is the role of hippocampus in memory processing?
What role does the hippocampus play in memory storage?
What is the key role of the hippocampus within the context of memory?
What kind of amnesia results from damage to the hippocampus?
What role does the hippocampus play in memory processes?
What kind of amnesia results from damage to the hippocampus that prevents a person from creating new memories?
Which of these controversial perspectives challenges the widely accepted role of the hippocampus in memory consolidation?
Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with memory encoding in the hippocampus, potentially serving as a target for interventions addressing memory impairments?
What role does the hippocampus play in context-dependent forgetting?
Resources
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