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Regional dissociations within the hippocampus--memory and anxiety
D M Bannerman1, J N P Rawlins, S B McHugh
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, OX1 3UD, UK.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|July 1, 2004
Summary
Hippocampal lesions impact memory, disinhibition, and anxiety. Distinct dorsal and ventral hippocampus regions govern these behaviors, offering a unified explanation for hippocampal function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- Hippocampal lesions are known to cause memory deficits.
- However, hippocampal damage also leads to behavioral disinhibition and reduced anxiety.
- Existing theories struggle to explain all consequences of hippocampal damage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional subdivisions of the hippocampus.
- To explore the distinct roles of hippocampal subregions in memory, behavior, and emotion.
- To evaluate the plausibility of a unitary theory for hippocampal function.
Main Methods:
- Review of selective lesion studies.
- Analysis of neuroanatomical findings on hippocampal subdivisions.
- Examination of behavioral and emotional processing roles.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests functional domains within the hippocampus, potentially more than two.
- The dorsal hippocampus is crucial for spatial learning and memory.
- The ventral hippocampus is implicated in anxiety-related behaviors and emotional processing, distinct from the amygdala's fear role.
Conclusions:
- The hippocampus is functionally subdivided along the septotemporal axis into dorsal and ventral regions.
- These regions are associated with distinct behavioral outputs, including memory and anxiety.
- Gray and McNaughton's theory offers a plausible framework to unify these diverse hippocampal functions.