Neuroanatomy of memory Neuroanatomy of memory The neuroanatomy of memory encompasses a wide variety of anatomical structures in the brain. The hippocampus is a structure in the brain that has been associated with various memory functions. It is part of the limbic system, and lies next to the medial temporal lobe. It is made up of two structures, the Ammon's Horn, and the Dentate gyrus, each containing different types of cells. There is evidence that the hippocampus contains cognitive maps in humans. In one study, single-cell recordings were taken from electrodes implanted in a rat's hippocampus, and it was found that certain neurons
Hippocampal memory encoding and retrieval There are two steps to encoding: acquisition and consolidation. During acquisition, stimuli are committed to short term memory. Consolidation is where the hippocampus along with other cortical structures stabilize an object within long term memory, a process strengthening over time and one for which a number of theories have arisen to explain. After encoding, the hippocampus is capable of going through the retrieval process. The retrieval process consists of accessing stored information; this allows learned behaviors to experience conscious depiction and execution. Encoding and retrieval are both affected by neurodegenerative and anxiety disorders and epilepsy. Meta-positron emission tomography (PET) analysis