ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hippocampus

n.
C1 Advanced US //ˌhɪpoʊˈkæmpəs// UK //hˈɪpəkˌæmpəs// hip·pocam·pus

n. a small part of the brain that helps you remember things and find your way around. It is located deep inside the brain and looks a bit like a seahorse.

n. a paired structure of the medial temporal lobe of the brain, involved in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and in spatial navigation.


SIMPLE

The hippocampus is essential for forming new memories.

CONTEXTUAL

Researchers found that patients with damage to the hippocampus often struggle to remember where they parked their car.

COMPLEX

The hippocampus plays a critical role in the formation of declarative memories, allowing individuals to recall specific events and facts, while also serving as the primary interface for spatial memory and navigation.

Origin

From Late Latin hippocampus, from Ancient Greek ἱππόκαμπος (hippókampos, from ῐ̔́ππος (hĭ́ppos, “horse”) + κάμπος (kámpos, “sea-monster”)). The anatomy sense is so named from its resemblance to the seahorse. By surface analysis, hippo- + campus.

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