Case study: HM

Case study: HM

1. Had severe epilepsy

2. Had his hippocampus removed to attempt to control his epilepsy

3. He could remember up to the operation but afterwards could make no new long term memories

4. He lost the ability to transfer information from the STM to the LTM

5. From this we can suggest the function of the hippocampus: to create new long term memories

6. However, it is clear that long term memories are not stored in the hippocampus as HM could remember up to his surgery

7. This suggests there is more than one part to LTM

8. HM could also develop new skills eg. mirror drawing

9. Meaning he still had some long term ability

10. HM didn't have declarative memory: knowing what

11. But he did have procedural memory: knowing how