Mammillary Body (Noun)
Meaning
One of two small round structures on the undersurface of the brain that form the terminals of the anterior arches of the fornix.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- Damage to the mammillary bodies has been linked to severe anterograde amnesia, as seen in some cases of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
- The mammillary body receives axons from the medial septal nucleus and sends axons to the anterior thalamic nucleus as part of the limbic system.
- Location of the mammillary body within the brain is crucial for cognitive functions, particularly spatial memory, due to its interconnection with the hippocampus.
- The mammillary body, along with the anterior thalamic nucleus, works together to integrate spatial and episode-specific information, aiding memory consolidation.
- Lesions of the mammillary bodies have been reported in patients with Wernicke's encephalopathy, and associated with a decline in vision, gaze movements, and conscious awareness.