The anatomy, physiology and functions of the perirhinal cortex

The perirhinal cortex is a polymodal association area that contributes importantly to normal recognition memory. A convergence of recent findings from lesion and electrophysiological studies has provided new evidence that this area participates in an even broader range of memory functions than previously thought, including associative memory and emotional memory, as well as consolidation functions. These results are consistent with neuroanatomical research showing that this area has strong and reciprocal connections with widespread cortical sensory areas and with other memory-related structures, including the hippocampal formation and amygdala.