Spatial memory and hippocampal function: Where are we now?

Abstract

The main aim of this paper is to provide an overview of current debates concerning the role of the mammalian hippocampus in learning with a particular emphasis on spatial learning. The review discusses recent debates on (1) the role of the primate hippocampus in recognition memory and object-in-place memory, (2) the role of the hippocampus in spatial navigation in both rats and humans, and (3) the effects of hippocampal damage on processing contextual information. Evidence from these lines of research have led many current theories to posit a function for the hippocampus that has as its organizing principle the association or binding of stimulus representations. Based on this principle, recent theories of hippocampal function have extended their application beyond the spatial domain to capture features of declarative and episodic memory processes.