Have you ever wondered how a particular smell can trigger a strong memory of an event? This is one of the roles of the hippocampus in the brain, and below we will learn what is the hippocampus? And what are its functions? And diseases that may affect him?

What is the hippocampus?

The hippocampus is a small, curved structure in the brain, also called the hippocampus HippocampusIt is one of the parts of the limbic system of the brain (the limbic system), and it is located in the inner (medial) region of the temporal lobe of the brain (below each of the temporal lobes).

The location of the hippocampus in the brain

In fact, the body has two hippocampi; This is because the brain is lateral and symmetrical, and they are located above each ear about an inch and a half deep inside the head.

hippocampal function

Research has found a connection between the hippocampus and memory. The hippocampus has important roles in certain types of memory. It is involved in the formation of new memories. It is also linked to learning and emotions.

The roles in which the hippocampus plays a role include:

• Spatial memory: The posterior part of the hippocampus is involved in the processing of spatial memories. Studies of London taxi drivers found that navigating complex mazes on big city streets was linked to the development of the posterior hippocampus.
• Memory Consolidation: The hippocampus also plays a role in consolidating memories during sleep. Published studies indicate that there is an increase in its activity during sleep, especially after performing some kind of training or learning experience, and this leads to a better memory of what was learned the next day.
• Memory Transfer: Memories are not stored in the hippocampus in the long term. It records information, caches it, and then ships it. to be memorized and stored in long-term memory, and sleep is thought to play an important role in this process as well.

Diseases affecting the hippocampus

The hippocampus is a sensitive part of the brain, and certain conditions and factors can negatively affect it, including long-term exposure to high levels of stress. Factors and conditions that impair the hippocampus’s ability to function include:

• Alzheimer’s disease: The hippocampus is one of the first areas to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease. One of the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s is that a person begins to lose his short-term memory. As the disease progresses, the hippocampus loses its normal size and has difficulty in carrying out its daily functions.
• Epilepsy: Autopsies have indicated that between 50% and 75% of people with epilepsy have damage to the hippocampus, but it is not clear whether epilepsy is a cause or a consequence of this damage.
• Depression and stress: The hippocampus loses its size in people with severe depression, but scientists are still not sure whether the small size is a result of depression or one of the reasons, and on the other hand, there are studies indicating that stress has a negative effect on the hippocampus. .
• Damage to the hippocampus has been linked to conditions such as schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

With all of the above diseases that may affect the hippocampus, it may also be affected in the event of an accident, in which case the affected person suffers from memory loss and the ability to form new long-term memories; due to damage to the hippocampus.

In this case, the injured may not be able to remember some things that happened shortly before the damage, but they may remember things that happened a longer time ago; This is because long-term memories are stored in another part of the brain, once they become long-term.

The stress associated with PTSD can also damage the hippocampus, so people with the disorder have a smaller hippocampus than people without it.

Temporary amnesia

Transient global amnesia is a form of amnesia that develops suddenly, with no known cause yet, and then disappears fairly quickly as well.

Most people with transient global amnesia eventually regain their memory, but it’s still not clear what caused the problem and why it resolved. It could be damage to the hippocampus.

Damage to the hippocampus may result in difficulty remembering how to get from one place to another or difficulty finding a store in a new area, although the affected person may be able to draw a map of the neighborhood they lived in as a child.

How to activate the hippocampus and keep it healthy

Research suggests that regular exercise may help protect the hippocampus from the harmful effects of aging. Long-term stress may also have a negative effect on the hippocampus. Therefore, ways must be found to control stress; To protect this part of the brain.