Question

In the famous case of H.M., his hippocampi were removed as part of a surgical procedure to stop his seizures, and afterward he could not _______.

a) Form new long-term memories
b) Recall events from his childhood
c) Recognize familiar faces
d) Perform complex motor tasks

Answer 1

After the removal of his hippocampi, H.M. could not form new long-term memories, demonstrating the critical role of the hippocampus in memory formation.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the famous case of Henry Molaison (H.M.), after his hippocampi were removed to treat his seizures, he was unable to form new long-term memories. This condition is known as anterograde amnesia. H.M. could recall events from his childhood and had retained his short-term memory, but he lost the ability to form new episodic memories and semantic knowledge. H.M.'s case provided essential insights into memory consolidation's reliance on the hippocampus and associated medial temporal lobe structures.