What is the role of the mammillary body?

The mammillary bodies, located at the base of the brain as part of the hypothalamus, play a vital role in memory processing. They are particularly involved in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory. This function is not isolated, as the mammillary bodies are part of the larger limbic system, which is critical for emotional responses and memory formation.

The mammillary bodies receive input from the hippocampus, an essential area for memory formation, and send outputs to the thalamus. This pathway forms part of the Papez circuit, which is associated with the emotional aspects of memories. Research indicates that damage to the mammillary bodies can lead to severe memory impairments, such as those seen in conditions like Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, further highlighting their significance in memory processing.