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Why is the anterior hippocampus linked to emotion and stress?

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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 anterior hippocampus is linked to emotion and stress primarily due to its specific anatomical connectivity. Unlike the posterior hippocampus, which is largely associated with cognitive and spatial processing, the anterior region maintains preferential connections to the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex.1

These neural pathways allow the anterior hippocampus to integrate information with structures that are central to the limbic system, which regulates emotional responses and the body's reaction to stress. By communicating directly with these regions, the anterior hippocampus plays a critical role in the regulation of emotional states and the processing of stressful experiences.12