title: Critical role of the hippocampus in memory for sequences of events.
abstract: Recent models of hippocampal function emphasize the potential role of this brain structure in encoding and retrieving sequences of events that compose episodic memories. Here we show that hippocampal lesions produce a severe and selective impairment in the capacity of rats to remember the sequential ordering of a series of odors, despite an intact capacity to recognize odors that recently occurred. These findings support the hypothesis that hippocampal networks mediate associations between sequential events that constitute elements of an episodic memory.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cognitive Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Norbert J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Fortin
authors.forename: Kara L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Agster
authors.forename: Howard B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Eichenbaum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001244:Association; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009812:Odorants; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical