anatomy. : either of two small, rounded bodies that project from the posterior hypothalamus, receive input from the hippocampus via the fornix and relay impulses to the anterior nuclei of the thalamus, and are thought to play a role in memory.

What is the role of the mammillary bodies?

The primary function associated with the mammillary bodies is recollective memory. Memory information begins within the hippocampus. ... Mammillary bodies project to the anterior thalamic nuclei through the mammillothalamic tract.

What are the mammillary bodies and why are they important?

Mammillary bodies, and their projections to the anterior thalamus via the mammillothalamic tract, are important for recollective memory. The damage of medial mammillary nucleus leads to spatial memory deficit, according to observations in rats with mammillary body lesions.