Memory for novel and familiar environments relies on the hippocampus: A case study on a patient with a right anteromesial temporal lobectomy

Abstract

While the hippocampus has been ascribed a prominent role in navigation ability, it is still a subject of debate whether it contributes to learning novel environments only or to remembering familiar environments as well. We attempt to shed light on this issue by reporting on a patient who developed complaints of severe difficulties with navigation after she underwent a right anteromesial temporal lobectomy. A standard neuropsychological assessment revealed only a visuospatial working memory deficit. Clear evidence for problems with novel environments were found on a virtual route learning test. Two real-world tests were used to investigate her ability to recall familiar environments. The first test was based on the area she grew up in (and still visits regularly) and the second test concerned her current place of residence which she never visited prior to the surgery. While her landmark recognition in general was accurate, she showed notable difficulties with indicating their locations on a map and with giving accurate route descriptions between them for both real-world environments. This pattern of findings suggests that the hippocampus is not only important for navigation in novel environments, but also for familiar environments learned long ago.