noun. plural, hippocampi
In anatomy, the hippocampus is an elongated ridge of the brain, found in each lateral ventricle (and shaped a
bit like a
seahorse or
whale). Its function is believed to be the center of emotion, memory, and the involuntary actions of the nervous system.
People with Alzheimer'
s disease are shown to have damage to their hippocampus, which leads to memory loss and disorientation.
Humans have two hippocampi, one of each side of the brain.