The Hippocampus

The drawing depicts a micro-structure deep within the brain called the hippocampus, (Latin, sea horse). This structure is vital to formation, organisation, and storage of new of memories and connecting sensations and emotions. For example, a particular scent might trigger a strong memory.

People don’t forget you and your act of kindness, and the hippocampus stores this beautiful memory for us. Santiago Ramon y Cajal, a neuroscientists and artist from 19th century compared the features within a hippocampus as “cells like plants in a garden like a series of hyacinths - lined up in hedges with graceful curves”

How memories are formed in such a structure as this, is a huge mystery of the brain.

‘The Hippocampus, formation of memories’, Medium: Ink on translucent vellum paper, Dimensions: 220 x 90 cm