Initially, if you feel that you learn, understand, and even reflect… but you can't sustain changes, create habits, or break free from old emotional patterns, there's a good chance that the hippocampus is at the heart of this story.

This small brain structure, often cited simply as "responsible for memory," plays a much deeper role: it connects experiences, emotions, learning, and meaning. In other words, the hippocampus directly participates in how you construct your internal reality and, consequently, your mindset.

In this article, we will clearly and practically understand what the hippocampus is, how it works, how stress and anxiety affect it, and, most importantly, how to strengthen it to get out of autopilot and create real and sustainable changes.

What is the hippocampus and where is it located in the brain?

The hippocampus is a structure located deep within the brain, forming part of the limbic system, the group of areas responsible for emotions, memory, motivation, and emotional survival. It is situated in both cerebral hemispheres, with one hippocampus on the right and one on the left, and its shape resembles a seahorse. Hence the name, derived from the Greek. hippokampos.

Although small in size, the hippocampus is strategic. It acts as a kind of integration center between what we experience, feel, and learn. Thus, everything that passes through our senses and gains some emotional significance tends to involve the hippocampus before being stored as long-term memory.

“"The hippocampus is the brain structure responsible for transforming experiences into lasting memories and giving emotional context to what we experience.".”

What is the function of the hippocampus?

Simply put, the hippocampus functions as an organizer of human experience. In this sense, it not only records facts, but also helps to contextualize them: where it happened, how you felt, what it meant to you.

Among its main functions, the following stand out:

• Consolidation of short-term memory into long-term memory.
• Formation of episodic memory (lived events)
• Learning and assimilating new information.
• Spatial orientation and sense of context
• Association between emotion and memory.

This explains why emotionally significant experiences are easier to remember. After all, the hippocampus works in conjunction with the... amygdala to record not only "what happened," but "how it affected me.".

“"The hippocampus allows the brain to learn from experiences, storing memories and using the past to guide future decisions.".”

Hippocampus, emotions, and the limbic system

As we have already shown, the hippocampus does not work alone. After all, it is intimately connected to the amygdala, a brain structure responsible for detecting threats and generating emotional responses such as fear, anxiety, and alertness.

Thus, when an experience occurs, the amygdala assesses the emotional level of that situation, while the hippocampus registers the context. Therefore, if the emotion is intense—especially negative—the memory tends to be stronger. This mechanism is useful for survival, but becomes problematic when we live under chronic stress.

In this scenario, the brain begins to register common experiences as threats, reinforcing patterns of fear, insecurity, and negative anticipation. The result? A reactive mindset, stuck in the past, always expecting something to go wrong.

“"The hippocampus associates emotions with memories, influencing how we interpret and react to similar situations in the future."”

Stress, cortisol, and their direct impacts on the hippocampus.

Here we arrive at a crucial, and often overlooked, point.

When stress becomes constant, the body releases cortisol In excess, cortisol is adaptive in the short term. In the long term, however, cortisol directly affects the functioning of the hippocampus, impairing its ability to form new memories and learn from new experiences.

Studies in neuroscience show that high and prolonged levels of stress are associated with a reduction in hippocampal volume and a decrease in neurogenesis in that region. In practical terms, this means:

• More difficulty concentrating
• Slower learning
• Feeling of "mind blockage"“
• Repetition of old patterns
• Greater tendency towards anxiety and rumination.

“"Chronic stress damages the hippocampus, hindering learning, memory, and the ability to adapt emotionally."”

This explains why people under constant pressure may "know" what to do, but are unable to change. The brain is simply not in a state conducive to transformation.

Hippocampus, neuroplasticity, and mindset change.

For a long time, it was believed that the adult brain did not produce new neurons. Today, science shows exactly the opposite, and the hippocampus is one of the few regions where this occurs. adult neurogenesis It happens consistently.

This changes everything.

In other words, it means that the brain is capable of learning, reorganizing itself, and creating pathways even after years of living in the same emotional pattern. But there is a fundamental condition: the internal environment needs to be favorable.

Thus, conscious learning, repetition, mindfulness, and positive emotions directly stimulate the plasticity of the hippocampus. Constant fear and emotional overload, on the other hand, do the opposite.

“"The neuroplasticity of the hippocampus allows the brain to learn new patterns and sustain behavioral changes throughout life."”

The role of the hippocampus in beliefs and mental patterns.

Beliefs don't arise from nothing. Above all, they are built from repeated experiences that gain emotional significance. The hippocampus records these experiences, while other areas of the brain use this "database" to predict the future.

Therefore, if you have experienced repeated situations of frustration, rejection, or insecurity, the brain learns: “"This is dangerous," "It's not safe to try," "It's best to avoid it."”. Even when the context changes, the pattern remains.

“"The hippocampus participates in the formation of beliefs by recording emotional experiences that then guide future decisions."”

Therefore, changing beliefs is not just a rational decision. It is a neurobiological process that requires new emotional experiences, repeated consciously.

Mindfulness, mindfulness and strengthening of the hippocampus

Practices of mindfulness They have a direct impact on the hippocampus. Studies primarily show an increase in gray matter density in this region in people who practice mindfulness regularly.

But why?

Because mindfulness It reduces the constant activation of the amygdala, lowers cortisol, and creates space between stimulus and response. This space is where the hippocampus can register new experiences without the filter of automatic fear.

“"The practice of mindfulness strengthens the hippocampus by reducing stress and increasing the capacity for learning and emotional self-regulation."”

What harms the hippocampus in everyday life (no clichés)

Without demonizing habits, but rather raising awareness, some factors weaken the functioning of the hippocampus when they become routine:

Sleep deprivation, excessive multitasking, constant stimulation, lack of breaks, irregular eating habits, and above all, living in a permanent state of emotional alert.

It's not a lack of willpower. It's biology.

How to strengthen the hippocampus in practice.

Strengthening the hippocampus doesn't require radical changes, but conscious consistency. Therefore, quality sleep, continuous learning, regular physical exercise, mindfulness practices, and positive emotions create the ideal internal environment for neuroplasticity to occur.

“"Adequate sleep, learning, physical exercise, and mindfulness stimulate the health and plasticity of the hippocampus."”

The hippocampus and the mindset reprogramming journey

Reprogram the mindset It's not about "positive thinking." On the contrary, it's the art of creating new internal experiences, with presence, repetition, and enough emotional meaning for the hippocampus to register new pathways.

When this happens, the brain stops reacting solely based on the past and begins to respond to the present with more clarity, flexibility, and choice.

Conclusion

The hippocampus is not just a "memory archive." It is a silent architect of your perception, your beliefs, and how you react to life.

Therefore, strengthening it means strengthening your ability to learn from the present., resignify Let's move beyond the past and build a more conscious future. In short, real change begins in the brain, but it is sustained through daily practice.

Questions and answers about the hippocampus

1. What is the hippocampus?

It is a brain structure linked to memory, learning, and the emotional association of experiences.

2. Can stress affect the hippocampus?

Yes. Chronic stress impairs your function and reduces your ability to learn and change.

3. Is it possible to strengthen the hippocampus?

Yes. Sleep., mindfulness, Physical exercise and learning stimulate its plasticity.

4. What is the relationship between the hippocampus and anxiety?

Chronic anxiety affects the hippocampus, making it difficult to register safe experiences.

5. Does meditation really change the hippocampus?

Yes. Studies show an increase in gray matter in that region with regular practice, particularly meditation. mindfulness.

Image: Freepik

Marcel Castilho

Marcel Castilho is an expert in neuromarketing, neuroscience, mindfulness and positive psychology. In addition to being an advertiser, he also has a Master's degree in NLP – Neurolinguistic Programming. As the owner and founder of the communications agency VeroCom and also of the digital agency Vero Contents, he has been studying human behavior for over 30 years.