Alicia was recently in a car accident. Since then, she cannot retain memories of events that occurred after the accident. However, she can recall events that took place before the accident. She recognizes her family and friends and important dates, such as her birthday and her marriage anniversary, but has to be constantly reintroduced to the new people in her life. Alicia has most likely sustained damage to her _______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The hippocampus is responsible for the formation and retrieval of memories. Alicia's inability to create new memories after the accident is indicative of damage to the hippocampus. The other options listed (hypothalamus, somatosensory cortex, and medulla) are not directly involved in memory formation and retrieval.

Alicia Was Recently in a Car Accident