Role of the Hippocampus in Cognition
摘要
The hippocampus is a brain region associated with memory, creating a spatial and temporal cognitive map for episodic memory. The hippocampus also helps with cognitive processes such as learning, spatial cognition, cognitive flexibility, language skills, decision-making, and attention. The dentate gyrus, cornu ammonis, and subiculum provide connections between other brain regions to store, process, and retrieve information from the environment. Contributing to cognition through complex mechanisms such as the Papez circuit and the trisynaptic loop, the hippocampus facilitates learning by processing incoming information in the cognitive process. It also helps with decision-making by selecting from learned alternatives and provides cognitive flexibility by adjusting behavior and thoughts appropriately under changing environmental conditions. A comprehensive understanding of the anatomical connections provides insight into the role of the hippocampus in the complex structure of cognitive processes. In this book chapter, the role of the hippocampus in cognition is discussed in terms of its anatomical location and its communication with brain regions. Its role in tasks, including learning and decision-making, is discussed in detail.