The role of the hippocampus in organic amnesia

Organic amnesia is a neurological disorder characterised by severe impairment in episodic memory. In the past, hippocampal damage has been assumed to be both necessary and sufficient to cause organic amnesia, however more recent research refutes this, instead suggesting the contribution of an array of brain processes. The anatomically narrow research focus on the hippocampus must now be revised in order to advance our understanding of amnesia, and the workings of human memory. One structure alone does not explain the diversity of research findings in the laying down of memories. We must look beyond the hippocampus in the search for better ways to find memories that have been lost.