Neuronal Burnout in the Hippocampus
Published: 10.05.2012
This is a cross-section of the Hippocampus of an epilepsy patient for whom removal of the affected tissue was the only remaining treatment option. The neurons in this area produce proteins that have been altered due to cellular stress, which can pathologically alter communication between cells. In the image, the neuronal cell nuclei appear blue-green. The white dots surrounding them indicate the altered proteins.
For more information and exciting images on this topic, see our slideshow ▸ Communication under the microscope.
© Jochen Meier /MDC Berlin, 2010
The hippocampus is the largest part of the Archicortex and an area in the Temporal lobe It is also an important part of the Limbic system Functionally, it is involved in Memory processes, but also in spatial orientation and learning. It comprises the subiculum, the dentate gyrus, and the Ammon's horn with its four fields CA1-CA4.
Changes in the structure of the hippocampus due to stress are associated with chronic pain. The hippocampus also plays an important role in the amplification of pain through anxiety.
Hippocampus
The hippocampus is the largest part of the archicortex and an area in the temporal lobe. It is also an important part of the limbic system. Functionally, it is involved in memory processes, but also in spatial orientation and learning. It comprises the subiculum, the dentate gyrus, and the Ammon's horn with its four fields CA1-CA4.
Changes in the structure of the hippocampus due to stress are associated with chronic pain. The hippocampus also plays an important role in the amplification of pain through anxiety.
Archicortex
An ancient structure of the cerebrum in terms of evolutionary development, which, in contrast to the isocortex (also called the neocortex), has a three-layer structure. The archicortex mainly comprises the hippocampal structures.
Temporal lobe
Lobus temporalis
The temporal lobe is one of the four lobes of the cerebrum and is located laterally (on the side) at the bottom. It contains important areas such as the auditory cortex and parts of Wernicke's area, as well as areas for higher visual processing; deep within it lies the medial temporal lobe with structures such as the hippocampus.
Limbic system
The limbic system is a functional unit in the brain. It consists of interconnected structures, primarily in the cerebrum and diencephalon. The structures assigned to the system vary depending on the source, but the most important components are the hippocampus, amygdala, cingulate gyrus, septum, and mammillary bodies. The limbic system is involved in autonomic and visceral processes as well as in mechanisms of emotion, memory, and learning. Some authors mistakenly reduce the limbic system to the emotional world by referring to it as the "emotional brain."
Memory
Memory is a generic term for all types of information storage in the organism. In addition to pure retention, this also includes the absorption of information, its organization, and retrieval.
Ammon's horn
cornu ammonis
Part of the cerebrum, specifically the front end of the hippocampus. The Cornu Ammonis is divided into fields CA1 to CA4. It owes its name to its shape, which resembles the horn of an ammon sheep.
