Did you ever wonder how the brain can effortlessly remember the way to the supermarket you visited last week or retain new information learned at work?
The answer lies in the remarkable ability of the brain to form new connections throughout our lives, with the hippocampus playing a crucial role in this process. “New connections in the brain form in the hippocampus and elsewhere throughout life. This is how learning and memory are hardwired into the brain,” says Dr Chittaranjan Andrade, senior professor in clinical psychopharmacology and neurotoxicology at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru.
The hippocampi are embedded deep within the temporal lobe. They are responsible for regulating emotions, dreaming, imagining, and, most importantly, forming memories. Without them, we would be left with short-term memories and an overwhelming sense of amnesia.
In this infographic, we have put together some interesting facts to appreciate the power of the tiny yet mighty hippocampus as it shapes our ability to navigate the world and remember the experiences that make us who we are.
