Outline for today

Structures
Cell types
Circuitry
Function

structure
c-shaped in coronal or transverse
sections
outline resembles rams horn
(Ammons horn)
dorsal and ventral commissures

major components of the

hippocampal formation

hippocampal proper (CA1,CA2,CA3)

dentate gyrus
entorhinal cortex
Subiculum
Presubiculum
parasubiculum

How many cell layers are

in
Dentate gyrus
Hippocampal proper
Entorhinal cortex

3 main Layers of DG
molecular layer
granule cell layer (striatum
granulosum)
polymorphic (or hilus)

3 main layers of
hippocampus
molecular layer (stratum radiatum.
stratum lacunosum, moleculare)
pyramidal layer stratum pyramidale
polymorphic (stratum oriens)

DG cell types
diverse variety of interneurons
mossy fibers axons from DG granule
cells unmyelinated axons synapse on
CA3
only excitatory output from DG

basket cells
axons form plexuses surrounding cell
body of granule cells
GABA

cells and layers of the dentate gyrus

1- granule cell; axons (mossy fiber) collateralize in PL and then to CA3

2- dentate pyramidal basket cell
3 stellate cells (give rise to basket plexus)
4- mossy cell (GLU)
5- inhibitory cells

DG
studied in relation to kindling, LTP
DG has the most consistent cell loss
in temporal lobe epilepsy (in part
interneurons in the hilus of DG)

typical CA1 pyramidal cell

some of the connections

mossy fibers axons from DG granule
cells unmyelinated axons synapse on
CA3
sole excitatory output from DG
multiple granule cells can synapse on a single
pyramidal cell

Schaffer collaterals- projections from CA3

to CA1 (ipsilateral and contralateral)

some of the connections

perforant pathway major input to
hippocampus
axons arise primariy from layers II and III of
EC

Entorhinal cortex (perforant path

Recurrent (Schaffer) collaterals

of hippocampal pyramidal cells inCA3
Raphe, septal region

Commissural axons; intrinsic short ax

cells
Basket cells

Short axon cells; commissural axon

Alveus

some more connections

alveus - thin layer of fibers originating from
pyramidal cells and subiculum; on route to
subcortical termination or contralateral
hipp
covers the ventricular surface of the
hippocampus
bundle thickens lateral extreme end of hipp
fimbria; descending into forebrain - fornix.

What are the main afferents to

hippocampus and DG?
entorhinal cortex***
septum, contralateral hippocampus

Cortical inputs to the hippocampal formation

What are the afferents to the

entorhinal cortex?
projections from brainstem, raphe,
LC, VTA,
hypothalamic afferents
thalamic nuclei
telencephalic cortical areas
other hippocampal regions

Hippocampal Efferents
Many fibers sent directly back to the
entorhinal cortex.
Most anatomically prominent output
pathway is the fornix

efferents of EC
perforant pathway
amygdala, cortical nuclei, central
nucleus,

Subcortical outputs via the fornix

Cortical projections from hippocampus via entorhinal cortex

subiculum
one of most important efferents of
hippocampal formation only its
axons leave the telencephalon to
terminate in the diencephalon

fimbria/fornix
carry efferent from hippocampal
formation and subcortical afferent
fibers to hippocampus

trisynaptic circuit
perforant pathway synapse on
granule cells
granule cells send their mossy fiber
axons to CA3
CA3 pyramidal cells send their
shaffer collateral axons to CA1

neurotransmitters?
GLU
perforant path, mossy fibers, Schaffer
collaterals, excitatory interneurons
NMDA and metabotropic R

GABA
5HT