Which statement best defines the role of the hippocampus in memory?

The hippocampus is a critical structure in the brain primarily involved in the formation of new memories, particularly declarative memories, which include facts and events. It plays a pivotal role in the process of encoding information into long-term storage, allowing individuals to form new associations and recall them later.

While the hippocampus is involved in recalling past experiences, it is more accurate to define its primary role in terms of the formation of new memories. This distinction is important because the ability to retrieve memories involves other areas of the brain, such as the cortex, while the hippocampus is particularly active during the initial creation and consolidation of those memories.

The hippocampus does not manage short-term memory or sensory memory alone; rather, these functions are associated with other parts of the brain. Short-term memory is typically linked to the prefrontal cortex, while sensory memory involves sensory processing areas. Thus, emphasizing that the hippocampus is essential for forming new memories captures its specialized role in memory within the broader context of cognitive processes.