How does the hippocampus support spatial memory and navigation?

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Patient H.M. and short-term memory loss explained — hippocampus Learn about Henry Molaison (better known as “patient H.M.”), whose short-term memory loss following a lobotomy helped researchers to understand how brain structures are related to brain function.

The hippocampus is essential for spatial memory and navigation, serving as a core component in forming coherent spatial representations of the environment. It functions by mapping an animal's surroundings, allowing for the planning of routes and the identification of specific locations.1

This process is supported by specialized neurons within and around the hippocampal formation:

Place cells: These neurons increase their firing rate when an individual enters a specific, preferred location, effectively mapping the environment.1
Grid cells: Found primarily in the medial entorhinal cortex, these cells fire in a regular, triangular pattern across an environment, contributing to path integration and the representation of location.1
Head-direction cells: These provide information regarding the individual's current heading, independent of their specific location.1

Together, these cells allow the brain to create allocentric representations—locations relative to the environment—which are crucial for navigation. Damage to the hippocampus severely disrupts these abilities, a phenomenon observed in conditions such as Alzheimer disease, where hippocampal atrophy leads to significant impairments in spatial orientation.1