Topics

Topic

design image
Hippocampal tail

The hippocampal tail represents the posterior-most part of the hippocampal formation, curving upwards and medially in the temporal lobe. It is continuous anteriorly with the hippocampal body and lies adjacent to the temporal horn of the lateral ventricle. The hippocampal tail plays an important role in memory circuitry and is anatomically and functionally connected with the rest of the hippocampus and the parahippocampal gyrus.

Synonyms

  • Hippocampal cauda

  • Posterior hippocampus

  • Caudal hippocampus

Arterial Supply

  • Primarily supplied by branches of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), especially the anterior choroidal artery and distal hippocampal arteries.

  • Additional small branches may arise from the posterior choroidal arteries.

Venous Drainage

  • Venous drainage occurs mainly via the inferior ventricular vein, which drains into the basal vein of Rosenthal.

  • Additional drainage may occur through smaller veins into the internal cerebral vein.

Function

  • Integral in memory encoding and spatial navigation.

  • Associated with consolidation of long-term memory.

  • Contributes to emotional processing due to limbic system connections.

MRI Appearance

  • T2-weighted MRI:

    • Appears as a curvilinear structure with intermediate-to-high signal intensity relative to surrounding white matter.

    • Distinct margins can be identified adjacent to the temporal horn of the lateral ventricle.

  • T1-weighted MRI:

    • Shows as a low-to-intermediate signal structure, slightly darker than surrounding cortex.

    • Outlined by the high signal of adjacent CSF.

  • FLAIR MRI:

    • Similar to T2, but with suppression of CSF signal, making the hippocampal tail more conspicuous.

    • Useful in detecting subtle pathologies such as gliosis or sclerosis.

CT Appearance

  • The hippocampal tail is usually not well delineated on non-contrast CT due to limited gray-white differentiation.

  • It may appear as a subtle, curvilinear density adjacent to the temporal horn of the lateral ventricle.

  • Pathological changes (e.g., calcification, atrophy, edema) may increase conspicuity on CT.

MRI images

Hippocampal tail mri 3t coronal image

MRI images

Hippocampal tail mri 3t sagittal image