Episodic memory and cortico-hippocampal interactions.

There is a broad consensus that the hippocampal system plays a critical role in the encoding and retrieval of 'episodic' memories. Recent findings and computational modeling explicate the representational requirements of encoding episodic memories, and suggest that the idiosyncratic architecture of the hippocampal system and its interactions with cortical circuits are well-matched to the representational problems it must solve in order to support the episodic memory function. These findings also shed light on the nature of consolidation, identify the sorts of memories that must remain encoded in the hippocampal system for the long-term, and help delineate the semantic and episodic memory distinction.