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Adult hippocampal neurogenesis and its role in cognition
Author(s) -
Oomen Charlotte A.,
Bekinschtein Pedro,
Kent Brianne A.,
Saksida Lisa M.,
Bussey Timothy J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
wiley interdisciplinary reviews: cognitive science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.526
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1939-5086
pISSN - 1939-5078
DOI - 10.1002/wcs.1304
Subject(s) - neurogenesis , hippocampal formation , neuroscience , dentate gyrus , hippocampus , cognition , psychology , neuroplasticity , cognitive science
Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) has intrigued neuroscientists for decades. Several lines of evidence show that adult‐born neurons in the hippocampus are functionally integrated and contribute to cognitive function, in particular learning and memory processes. Biological properties of immature hippocampal neurons indicate that these cells are more easily excitable compared with mature neurons, and demonstrate enhanced structural plasticity. The structure in which adult‐born hippocampal neurons are situated—the dentate gyrus—is thought to contribute to hippocampus function by disambiguating similar input patterns, a process referred to as pattern separation. Several ideas about AHN function have been put forward; currently there is good evidence in favor of a role for AHN in pattern separation. This function of AHN may be understood within a ‘representational‐hierarchical’ view of brain organization. WIREs Cogn Sci 2014, 5:573–587. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1304 This article is categorized under: Psychology > Memory Neuroscience > Cognition Neuroscience > Plasticity