Fascia dentata

Fascia dentata is a part of the hippocampus in the brain. It is a thin, serrated structure that is primarily involved in the processing of spatial memory and the formation of new memories.

Anatomy[edit | edit source]

The fascia dentata is located within the dentate gyrus, one of the two major components of the hippocampus. It is a C-shaped layer of densely packed granule cells that wraps around the hilus of the dentate gyrus. The other major component of the hippocampus is the Ammon's horn, which is connected to the fascia dentata via the mossy fibers of the granule cells.

File:Fascia dentata.png

Fascia dentata in the hippocampus

Function[edit | edit source]

The primary function of the fascia dentata is to process spatial information and contribute to the formation of new memories. It receives input from the entorhinal cortex via the perforant path, and sends output to the CA3 region of Ammon's horn via the mossy fibers. This circuit is thought to be critical for the encoding and retrieval of spatial memories.

Clinical significance[edit | edit source]

Abnormalities in the fascia dentata have been implicated in several neurological and psychiatric disorders, including epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia. For example, in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, the fascia dentata often shows a pattern of abnormal cell dispersion, known as granule cell dispersion. In Alzheimer's disease, the fascia dentata is one of the first regions of the brain to show signs of neurodegeneration.