Chapter 17 - The Hippocampus and Episodic Memory

Hippocampus

A brain structure involved in the storage and retrieval of episodic memories.

Episodic Memory

The memory system for recalling personal experiences, including contextual details such as time and place.

Indexing Theory

The theory suggesting that memories are indexed in the hippocampus through connections with neocortical patterns of activity.

Conscious Recollection

The intentional search and awareness of the retrieval of memories.

Pattern Completion

The process by which partial cues can activate a complete memory representation.

Interference Problem

The challenge of keeping similar episodic memories from blending or interfering with each other.

Engram

The physical embodiment of memory in the brain; a network of neurons that represent a specific memory.

Context Preexposure Effect

The phenomenon where prior exposure to a context enhances the memory of that context, especially when a related event occurs.

Neocortex

The brain's outer layer involved in higher-order brain functions, including sensory perception, cognition, and conscious thought.

Subiculum

A region of the brain that connects the hippocampus to the neocortex and is involved in memory processing.

Medial Temporal Lobe

The region of the brain that includes the hippocampus and is crucial for the formation of memories.

Conscious Awareness

The state of being aware of and able to recall specific memories and experiences.

Contextual Information

Details about the surroundings, time, and place when a memory was created.

Neurological Damage

Injury to the brain that can impair memory functions, particularly related to the hippocampus.

Automatic Storage

The process by which memories are stored in the brain without a conscious effort or intention.

Cued Recall

A form of memory retrieval where specific cues are used to prompt the recollection of a memory.

Temporal Context

The element of time related to the experiences associated with a memory.

Hippocampal Formation

The complex of structures in the brain, including the hippocampus, that are associated with memory processing.

Incidental Information

Information that is acquired unintentionally while focusing on a different task.

Memory trace

The hypothetical physical and chemical changes in the brain resulting from the experience of an event.

Patterns of Activation

Specific neural firing patterns in the brain associated with particular memories or experiences.