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1. News from the Institutes

Why deep sleep promotes our memory

Slow brain waves make neocortex especially receptive

12.12.2024

1. Glossary

Allocortex

A phylogenetically ancient region of the cortex (cerebral cortex) which, unlike the isocortex (also called neocortex), has fewer than six cell layers – in the hippocampus, for example, only three. The allocortex is divided into the paleocortex and archicortex, as well as the periallocortex, which is a transitional form between the allocortex and isocortex.

1. Glossary

Ammon's horn

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.

1. Glossary

Fornix

The fornix is a nerve pathway consisting of approximately 12 million fibers that connects the hippocampus (one of the oldest structures in the brain in evolutionary terms) and subiculum with the septum and mammillary bodies.

1. Glossary

Basket cell

Basket cells are interneurons in the cerebellum and hippocampus. In the cerebellum, they are excited by parallel fibers and in turn inhibit Purkinje cells.

1. Glossary

Granule cell

Relatively small nerve cells found in the cortex (cerebral cortex), hippocampus, olfactory bulb, and cerebellum. In the cortex, they are primarily located in layer IV and are predominantly excitatory. In the cortex of the cerebellum, they constitute 99% of the cells and form the parallel fibers.

1. Glossary

Limbic cortex

The limbic cortex primarily comprises the cingulate gyrus and adjacent structures such as the entorhinal cortex. It is part of the limbic system, which also includes regions such as the hippocampus and the amygdala. The limbic system plays a central role in processing emotions, motivation, and instinctive behavior.

1. Glossary

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."

1. Glossary

Medial temporal lobe

The medial part of the temporal lobe contains the hippocampus and a number of other anatomically related structures: the entorhinal, perirhinal, and parahippocampal cortex. Together, they enable us to consciously remember facts and events. This region of the brain is also important for the formation of long-term memory. Deep inside the medial temporal lobe is the amygdala, which is involved in emotion processing, emotional salience, and emotional reinforcement of memories.

1. Glossary

Mesolimbic pathway

A system of neurons that use dopamine as a neurotransmitter and play a crucial role in emotion, reward, and substance abuse. The cell bodies are located in the subtegmental area and extend to the amygdala, the hippocampus, and – most importantly – the nucleus accumbens, where they have their terminal buttons.