The hippocampus is thought to be principally involved in storing long-term memories and in making those memories resistant to forgetting, though this is a matter of debate. It is also thought to play an important role in spatial processing and navigation.

How is the hippocampus used in everyday life?

The hippocampus helps humans process and retrieve two kinds of memory, declarative memories and spatial relationships. Declarative memories are those related to facts and events. Examples include learning how to memorize speeches or lines in a play.

Does the hippocampus play a role in sleep?

The hippocampus plays a critical role in sleep-related memory processes [1–3], but it is unclear which spe- cific sleep features are dependent upon this brain structure.