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Good afternoon GanSist everyone!
When GanSist buys a cellphone, many people pay attention to its storage capacity. There are devices with large internal memory, some can still be expanded using a memory card. The larger the storage space, the more photos, videos, documents and applications you can store.
Then, what about humans? Does the brain also have a part that functions like a “memory card”?
The answer is not that simple, but there is one brain structure that plays a very important role in the formation and storage of memory, namely hippocampus. This small region within the temporal lobe has been one of the most important research objects in neuroscience for decades.
The hippocampus is not a permanent storage place for all memories hard disk on the computer. However, these structures function as processing centers that help shape, organize, and consolidate experiences into long-term memory. Without a properly functioning hippocampus, a person will have difficulty remembering new events, even though their thinking ability or intelligence remains good.
Interestingly, the more scientists study the hippocampus, the more it becomes apparent that this small organ has far more complex capabilities than simply “a place to store memories.” Here are 4 unique facts about the hippocampus that are interesting to understand.
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1. The hippocampus plays an important role in forming new memories
Many people think that all memories are stored permanently in the brain. In reality this is not the case. When someone experiences an event, for example meeting a new friend, learning a mathematical formula, or visiting a place they have never been to, this information is first processed by various parts of the brain. The hippocampus then helps connect this information into a complete memory. This process is called memory consolidationnamely the change from short-term memory to long-term memory.
One of the most famous pieces of evidence comes from a patient known by the initials HM. After undergoing surgery to remove part of the hippocampus to treat severe epilepsy, the patient was no longer able to form new memories normally. The patient could still remember many things that happened before the operation, but had difficulty remembering events he had just experienced. The case was an important milestone in modern neuroscience. Scientists finally understand that the hippocampus is not just an accessory, but a major component in the formation of new memories.
Interestingly, not all types of memory depend entirely on the hippocampus. Skills such as cycling or typing can still be learned through other memory systems in the brain. This means that the brain has several memory pathways that work differently.
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2. The hippocampus helps humans recognize space and direction
It turns out that the hippocampus is not only related to memories of events, but is also closely related to navigation abilities.
In 1971, scientist John O’Keefe discovered the existence of “place cells”, which are nerve cells that activate when a person or animal is in a certain location. This discovery was then further developed by May-Britt Moser and Edvard Moser through the discovery of “grid cells” in the brain region associated with the hippocampus. The combination of these two systems allows humans to know their position, recognize their surroundings, and determine their direction of travel. It is not surprising that people who have hippocampal damage often get lost more easily, even in places they have actually visited.
Because of this extraordinary discovery, O’Keefe and his scientist partner Moser received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014. This research shows that the hippocampus works like a biological mapping system that helps humans understand the environment around them. Although of course it doesn’t use satellites like GPS, its working mechanism helps determine position.
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3. The Hippocampus Can Change Throughout Life
Previously, scientists believed that the adult brain was no longer capable of producing new nerve cells. This view turns out to be not entirely correct. The hippocampus is one part of the brain that is known to still be able to experience neurogenesis, namely the formation of new neurons, although the number is not as large as during childhood.
This ability is influenced by various factors. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, creative learning activities, and an environment that stimulates innovative thinking abilities are known to support hippocampal health. On the other hand, prolonged stress, lack of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, and some chronic diseases can disrupt hippocampal function.
Research using brain imaging even shows that people who actively exercise often have a larger hippocampal volume than those who rarely move. These findings provide an interesting message. The brain is not a completely static organ. The brain continues to change according to a person’s life experiences, habits and environment.
In other words, maintaining a healthy body also means helping maintain the health of the “memory center” in the brain.
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4. The hippocampus is one of the first parts affected by Alzheimer’s disease
One of the reasons why people with Alzheimer’s disease often forget recent events is because the hippocampus is one of the first areas to experience damage.
In the early stages of the disease, a person usually begins to frequently forget to put things away, forget recent conversations, or repeatedly ask the same questions. As the disease progresses, the damage spreads to other parts of the brain so that the ability to think, speak and recognize family members is also disrupted.
Examination using MRI often shows that the volume of the hippocampus in Alzheimer’s sufferers is reduced compared to healthy people.
Although until now no drug has been found that can truly cure Alzheimer’s, many studies show that a healthy lifestyle can help maintain brain health and possibly reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Physical activity, a nutritious diet, adequate sleep, controlling blood pressure, maintaining blood sugar levels, and remaining active in learning creatively throughout life are some of the steps recommended by experts.
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CLOSURE
Although often compared to a human “memory card”, the hippocampus is actually much more sophisticated than a digital storage device. These small structures not only help form new memories, but also play a role in recognizing the environment, supporting learning abilities, and even continue to change throughout life.
Research on the hippocampus is still developing today. Scientists are trying to understand how this structure works, how to protect it from aging and disease, and how to use this knowledge to improve the quality of human life.
So, when GanSist is learning something creative, exercising regularly, or getting enough sleep, GanSist is actually also helping one of the most important parts of the brain in everyday life.
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SOURCE
Eichenbaum, H. (2017). Memory: Organization and control. Annual Review of Psychology, 6819-45.
Kandel, E. R., Koester, J. D., Mack, S. H., & Siegelbaum, S. A. (2021). Principles of Neural Science(6th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Kolb, B., & Whishaw, I. Q. (2021). An Introduction to Brain and Behavior (6th ed.). Worth Publishers.
O’Keefe, J., & Nadel, L. (1978). The Hippocampus as a Cognitive Map. Oxford University Press.
Scoville, W. B., & Milner, B. (1957). Loss of recent memory after bilateral hippocampal lesions. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 20(1)11-21.
Squire, L. R., & Wixted, J. T. (2011). The cognitive neuroscience of human memory since H.M. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 34259-288.
Winocur, G., & Moscovitch, M. (2011). Memory transformation and systems consolidation. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 17(5)766-780.
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