Fornix (neuroanatomy)

Fornix
Diagram of the fornix. Right=anterior
Tractography showing fornix
Details
Artery	Small medial central branches of the anterior communicating artery
Identifiers
Latin	fornix
MeSH	D020712
NeuroNames	268
NeuroLex ID	birnlex_705
TA98	A14.1.08.949 A14.1.09.255
TA2	5633
FMA	61965
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

The fornix (from Latin: fornix, lit. 'arch'; pl.: fornices) is a C-shaped bundle of nerve fibers in the brain that acts as the major output tract of the hippocampus. The fornix also carries some afferent fibers to the hippocampus from structures in the diencephalon and basal forebrain. The fornix is part of the limbic system. While its exact function and importance in the physiology of the brain are still not entirely clear, it has been demonstrated in humans that surgical transection—the cutting of the fornix along its body—can cause memory loss. There is some debate over what type of memory is affected by this damage, but it has been found to most closely correlate with recall memory rather than recognition memory. This means that damage to the fornix can cause difficulty in recalling long-term information such as details of past events, but it has little effect on the ability to recognize objects or familiar situations.