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Definition
The hippocampus is a C-shaped, three-layered, subcortical structure, located within the medial temporal lobes, adjacent to the amygdala (Fig. 1). This phylogenetically ancient structure is divided into three continuous sections, referred to as cornu Ammonis [CA], one through three (Fig. 2). The hippocampus proper is an anatomical subdivision of the hippocampal formation, which also encompasses the dentate gyrus and the subiculum (Fig. 3). Here, the term “hippocampus” will be utilized to refer to all three components of the hippocampal formation. Possessing a unique neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and electrophysiological organization, the hippocampus serves as a component of the limbic system as well as primarily functions in the formation of new memories and in spatial navigation.
The hippocampal formation in a sagittal magnetic resonance imaging. (Reproduced from Mendoza & Foundas, 2008)
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Waxman, A. (2011). Hippocampus. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1126
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