Final answer:
The hippocampus is involved in the consolidation of short-term memories into long-term memories, rather than only activating for recent memories. The consolidation hypothesis accounts for its role in forming new declarative and episodic memories. Patients like HM help illustrate the hippocampus's role in memory as it aids the transition of memories from short-term storage in the prefrontal lobe to long-term storage in cerebral cortex areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hippocampus and Memory
The hippocampus does not only activate for recent memories. The role of the hippocampus in memory processing is quite extensive: it is involved in the consolidation of short-term memories into long-term memories and plays a critical role in the formation of new declarative and episodic memories. One significant hypothesis related to the function of the hippocampus is known as the consolidation hypothesis, which posits that the hippocampus is critical for moving memories from short-term to long-term storage.
Through the examination of cases like patient HM, we understand that the hippocampus is necessary for the long-term storage of episodic memories. Patient HM could form new short-term memories, as this function is localized to the prefrontal lobe, but he lacked the ability to consolidate these memories into long-term storage due to the removal of his hippocampus. It's also crucial to note that procedural memory is processed by the cerebellum, and the amygdala is involved in the emotional aspect of memories.
Furthermore, memories are not stored in the hippocampus indefinitely. Over time, they are transferred to other areas of the cerebral cortex where they become more permanent. This understanding contributes to our broader knowledge of neural plasticity and memory storage in the brain.