The
hippocampal formation is a compound structure in the
medial temporal lobe of the
brain. There is no consensus concerning which brain regions are encompassed by the term, with some authors defining it as the
dentate gyrus, the
hippocampus proper and the
subiculum; and others including also the presubiculum,
parasubiculum, and
entorhinal cortex. The hippocampal formation is thought to play a role in memory, spatial navigation and control of attention. The neural layout and pathways within the hippocampal formation are very similar in all mammals.