Adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus: A role in learning and memory

While we have known for some time that new neurons are produced in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus throughout adulthood, the role of adult neurogenesis in relation to known hippocampal functions, such as spatial navigation learning and memory, is still an area of active investigation. New neurons are highly sensitive to experience, and evidence suggests that environmental conditions that enhance neurogenesis also improve cognitive performance, whereas those that reduce neurogenesis have the opposite effect. More recently, adult hippocampal neurogenesis has been shown to be important for forming new representations by aiding in pattern separation, reducing interference, and promoting forgetting.