What H.M. taught us.
Studies on H.M. generated five main findings: that memory is a distinct psychological function, that amnesia spares short-term and working memory, that amnesia is an impairment of declarative and episodic memory, that the hippocampus is a core brain structure supporting memory, and that the hippocampus supports the permanent consolidation of memories. Each of these basic findings has recently been challenged, but a consideration of these studies suggests the new observations serve to support the original findings on H.M. and improve our understanding of the memory functions of the hippocampal system.
Center for Memory and Brain, Boston University, Room 109, 2 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA. hbe@bu.edu
Howard
H
Eichenbaum
D000647:Amnesia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009484:Neuropsychology / Q000266:history*