Hippocampus

The hippocampus is a region of the brain important for consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory, spatial navigation, and mood. Its name derives from the Greek word for seahorse, in that it mimics a seahorse in size and shape.

A TED talk by Sandrine Thuret reported that the hippocampus was able to generate new nerve cells, a process called neurogenesis, to replace older hippocampus nerves. Brian neurogenesis was once believed to not exist in adults. If the hippocampus can not generate new cells because of illness or medication, poor memory and depression may result.