Focal Lesions of Human Hippocampal CA1 Neurons in Transient Global Amnesia Impair Place Memory

Abstract

Lost in a Maze In rodents, hippocampal CA1 neurons play a pivotal role in the processing of spatial memory. However, the contribution of CA1 neurons in the human hippocampus to spatial memory has been difficult to establish. Bartsch et al. (p. 1412 ) studied a group of patients with transient global ischemia, a condition that lasted for at most a few hours and was followed by complete recovery. The patients were tested on a range of complex neuropsychological instruments, including virtual reality, during the ischemic attack. A striking impairment was observed in simple spatial navigation to a hidden target. The performance of the patients was correlated with the duration of the transient global ischemia, as well as with the size of the CA1 lesions.