Memory helps us evaluate situations on the fly, not just recall the past

(Northwestern University) Scientists have long known the brain's hippocampus is crucial for long-term memory. Now a new Northwestern Medicine study has found the hippocampus also plays a role in short-term memory and helps guide decision-making. The findings shed light on how the hippocampus contributes to memory and exploration, potentially leading to therapies that restore hippocampal function, which is impacted in memory-related aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, the study authors said.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news