Chunk #33 — 4. Discussion — 4.1. Altered Functional Connectivity in the Memory Group — 4.1.2. Hyperconnectivity across the Hippocampal–Cortical Networks in the Memory Group
the human hippocampus and surrounding cortical regions that are associated with memory encoding and retrieval [96]. Therefore, it is possible that dysregulation (i.e., hyperconnected low-frequency paths) in the hippocampal–cortical network, which underlies memory processing [97], may have directly contributed to the alcohol-related memory problems in the memory group. At the neural level, elevated hippocampal resting-state connectivity may be associated with age-related decline in the white matter integrity of the fornix, as well as deficient neurocognitive function, in human adults [98]. Converging findings indicate that memories of recent events underlie the dynamic interplay across multiple cortical brain regions and networks, in which the hippocampus acts as a hub, integrating information from these subnetworks [99]. Recent studies reveal hippocampal involvement in the default mode network activity. The default mode network may mediate interactions between the hippocampus and the neocortex in memory formation and replay [100]. A large neuroimaging study revealed that subregions within the default mode network contain fornix fibers from the hippocampus, thus relating the network to its memory functions [101]. Specifically, a hyperconnected bilateral hippocampal-prefrontal network of slow frequency (delta band) may indicate a dysregulated long-range neural communication involving learning and memory processes, as these networks are crucial for the
