Hippocampus

The hippocampus is a C-shaped region located in the brain's temporal lobe. It is involved in the consolidation of long-term memory, including episodic memories, which are personal and contextualized memories, as well as spatial memories.

The Hippocampus is also important for spatial navigation and perception of space. It plays a role in the formation of the mental map of the environment and is involved in the recognition of spatial orientation and spatial relationships between objects.

Research has highlighted the role of the Hippocampus in certain neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and schizophrenia.

In sum, the Hippocampus plays a crucial role in memory, learning and spatial navigation, and its impaired functioning may have consequences on these cognitive processes.

There are several biomarkers for the Hippocampus, including the following:

1. Hippocampal volume: structural MRI measures the volume of the Hippocampus, which generally decreases with age and in certain neurological and psychiatric disorders.

2. Electrical activity: electroencephalography (EEG) can be used to measure the electrical activity of the Hippocampus, which may be altered in epilepsy and other neurological disorders.

3. Metabolic activity: Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission tomography (SPECT) can be used to measure the metabolic activity of the Hippocampus, which may be altered in Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.

4. Protein levels: Proteins such as tau and beta-amyloid protein can be measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to assess the presence of brain damage associated with Alzheimer's disease.

5. Functional Connections: Functional MRI can be used to measure the functional connections of the hippocampus with other brain regions, which may be altered in certain neurological and psychiatric disorders.