Final answer:
The statement about the role of the hippocampus in memory storage, recognition, spatial memory, and memory consolidation is true, as is supported by rat studies and the case of patient HM.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary function of the hippocampus is indeed associated with the storage of memories, specifically involving recognition and spatial memory. It also plays a crucial role in memory consolidation, which is the process of converting new learning into long-term memory. Given the information provided, the direct answer to the student's question is:
The evidence comes from research involving lesions in the hippocampi of rats, where the rats demonstrated memory impairment in tasks such as object recognition and maze running (Clark, Zola, & Squire, 2000). This supports the conclusion that the hippocampus is involved in normal recognition memory as well as spatial memory. Additionally, injury to the hippocampus results in the inability to process new declarative memories, further highlighting its function in memory consolidation. This is reinforced by the case of patient HM, who, having lost his medial temporal lobe where the hippocampus is located, could no longer form new long-term memories, although his short-term memory remained intact.