MCAT® ExamPsychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of BehaviorMedium
A 75-year-old patient who recently suffered a stroke exhibits difficulty forming new memories, although he can still recall events from his childhood with vivid detail. He struggles to remember what he had for breakfast an hour ago or the names of new people he meets. Which brain region is most likely affected by the stroke?
- ACerebellum
- BFrontal Lobe
- CAmygdala
- DHippocampus
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Hippocampus
The hippocampus plays a crucial role in the formation of new declarative memories (episodic and semantic). Damage to this area typically results in anterograde amnesia, where individuals cannot form new memories but retain old ones.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The cerebellum is primarily involved in motor control, coordination, and some forms of procedural memory.
- B. The frontal lobe is involved in executive functions, planning, and working memory, but not primarily in the formation of new long-term declarative memories.
- C. The amygdala is involved in processing emotions, especially fear, and emotional memory, but not the general formation of new memories.
Hippocampus Function
A brain structure located in the medial temporal lobe, primarily associated with memory, especially the formation of new memories (consolidation).
- Crucial for declarative memory formation (facts and events)
- Damage often leads to anterograde amnesia
- Part of the limbic system
Memory trick: Hippos on Campus make new memories.