This side of this animation tells you about specific functions of the Hippocampus, and gives a scientific reference for it. Each frame takes 7 seconds. This side of the animation refers to possible effects of a series of sessions, and some of the possible metabolic snapback effects that might come up during the second to fifth weeks of a series. This DOES NOT apply to the effects of individual sessions. Only series of sessions. To review this material at your own pace, just scroll down the page.

Question: What does the Hippocampus do?		Answer: A LOT of things. Here are some of them:
It turns short-term memories into long-term ones. This is one of the best-understood hippocampal functions. See any neurology text or even an encyclopedia listing for the hippocampus		Possible Long-term Effect: Enhanced Pictorial Memory skills Possible Temporary "Metabolic Spring back" effect: You might find that you have brief episodes of short-term memory deficits, as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
It recognizes objects Wood, Emma, R. ; Mumby, Dave G. Pinel, John P.J.; Phillips, Anthony G. "Impaired Object Recognition Memory in Rats following ischemia-induced damage to the hippocampus" Behavioral Neuroscience v107, n1 (Feb, 1993) : 51 (12 pages)		Possible Long-term Effect: None known at this time Possible Temporary "Metabolic Spring back" effect: You might find that you can recognize a thing, but not remember its name, as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
It helps us do "Cognition", both verbal and nonverbal. Muller, Robert U.; "The Hippocampus as a cognitive Graph." Journal of General Physiology v107 n6 (June, 1996) : 663 (32 pages)		Possible Long-term Effect: You might find yourself more able to think in pictures (An important part of human intelligence) Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect: You may find yourself having episodes where your mind seems to 'race' or think too quickly for you to keep up with, as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
It processes music, and recognizes patterns. This is one of the better-understood hippocampal functions. See any neurology text or even an encyclopedia listing for the hippocampus for more information		Possible Long-term Effect: You might find that music has more power to affect your emotions, especially if music has always sent chills up your spine. You might also find that you can see patterns where there weren't any before, like in the behavior of other people, especially if your ability to picture their past actions in your mind grows. Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect: You may find yourself with passing episodes of confusion and distractibility when you stop seeing the pattern in the things you're doing as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
It responds to childhood abuse as it grows. (The left hippocampus is typically 12% smaller than the right in childhood abuse victims.) Bremner, J. Douglas; Randal, Penny; Vermetten, Eric; Staib, Lawrence; et.al. "Magnetic Resonance imaging-based measurement of hippocampal volume in post traumatic stress disorder related to childhood physical and sexual abuse: A preliminary Report." Biological Psychiatry, 1997, Jan, v41 (n1) : 23-32		Possible Long-term Effect: (For Abuse Survivors) You might find that you are less likely to act out, in adulthood, the behavioral patterns you learned in response to your abuse as a child. Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect:(For Abuse Survivors) You may find that you are a bit preoccupied with your personal history.
Unknown		Temporary Effect established empirically: Transient, short-lived, 'dull' headaches, described in one case as almost too dull to be a headache. They respond to ordinary painkillers, and usually occur after the second and third sessions. (based on reports from three Shakti users) After that, they tend to stop.
NOTE: SHAKTI TYPICALLY TARGETS THE RIGHT HIPPOCAMPUS, WHICH IS USUALLY OPERATING AT HIGHER LEVELS IN ABUSE SURVIVORS.		ABUSE SURVIVORS WHO CHOOSE TO DO A SERIES OF SESSIONS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO LEARN AND USE ADDITIONAL SESSION DESIGNS.
It helps us to remember faces. , Gary, Smith, Michael E, Halogen, Eric. "Neural Encoding of individual words and faces by the human hippocampus and amygdala." Nature, v333, n6175 (June 23, 1988) : 773 (3 pages)		Possible Long-term Effect: You might have an easier time picturing people in your mind, and/or you might find that you find faces more engaging, and that you enjoy eye contact. Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect: You might find that yourself asking others : "where do I know you from? more often as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
It retrieves long-term memories of events and places Kesner, Raymond P. "An attribute analysis of memory: The role of the Hippocampus." Physiological Pychologgy, 1980, Jun, v8, (n2) : 189-197		Possible Long-term Effect: You might find yourself better able to remember episodes from your life with more clarity. Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect: You may have moments where you're unable to recall things as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
It atrophies in under stress Sapolsky, Robert M. "Why stress is bad for your brain" Science, 1996, Aug, v273 (n5276) : 749-750 NOTE: Shakti is NOT presented here as a treatment (experimental or otherwise) for stress Shakti does not diagnose or treat medical disorders.		Possible Long-term Effect: You might find that you are less likely to respond to events with negative thoughts. Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect: You could have episodes of melancholia as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity. The rule of thumb, the worse it was in the past, the more intense the possible metabolic springback can be.
It supports the experience of novelty, so that new things are exciting. Knight, Robert T, "Contribution of the Human Hippocampus to novelty detection" Nature, 1996, Sep, v383 (n6597) : 256-259		Possible Long-term Effect: You might have moments where things can become quite novel. In your thoughts, this means you might be less likely to find things boring. In your vision, you might find that your vision seems crisper or clearer (It's called Enhanced Visual Acuity). Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect:  You could have episodes of lethargy and boredom, or a lack of motivation, as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
On the left, it helps with verbal learning.  Lee, Gregory P. Loring, David W. Smith, Joseph R.; Flanigan, Herman F., "Material specific learning during electrical stimulation of the Human Hippocampus." Cortex 1990 sep v26 (n3) : 433-442		Possible Long-term Effect: You might find that you're more verbal than before, and more interested in expressing yourself through words. If you're a poet or writer, you might find that the words flow more readily, and that you may find it easier to recall the words of others. Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect: You may find that you have episodes where you have words on the tip of your tongue, but that you just can't get out as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
On the right, it helps spatial learning. Bower, B. "Brain region takes a hack at navigation. (Navigational information is processed in the right hippocampus...) Science News v152 n13 (sept 27, 1997) : 198		Possible Long-term Effect: You might find that you are more appreciative of space. Architectural space, outer space, and the space that sometimes seems to be in your mind when your eyes are closed. Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect: You might find that you have episodes where you prefer to remain indoors, in a smaller space as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
On the right, it produces pleasant experiences under magnetic signal stimulation (including inner visual imagery in some subjects) Persinger, Michael A., ; Richards, Pauline M.; Koren, Stanley A. "Differential ratings of pleasantness following right and left application of low-energy magnetic fields that stimulate long-term potentiation" International journal of neuroscience , 1994 Dec, v79 )n3-4) : 191-197 -and- Unpublished lab results		Possible Long-term Effect: Enhanced visualization skills, including the kind that some people describe as 'psychic'. This is not a common effect Possible Temporary "Metabolic Springback" effect: You might have episodes where unpleasant images intruding into your mind as your brain adjusts to new levels of hippocampal activity.
On the left, it produces unpleasant experiences under magnetic signal stimulation (including inner visual imagery in some subjects) Persinger, Michael A., ; Richards, Pauline M.; Koren, Stanley A. "Differential ratings of pleasantness following right and left application of low-energy magnetic fields that stimulate long-term potentiation" International journal of neuroscience , 1994 Dec, v79 )n3-4) : 191-197 -and- Unpublished lab results		Shakti will not apply a hippocampal wave form over your left side. (Unless, of course, you have a 'reversed' hippocampus.)

OTHER LINKS IN THIS SECTION: Learn about your HIPPOCAMPUS How to use Shakti to facilitate spiritual experiences or spiritual transformations Learn about your AMYGDALA. Initial TESTS using Shakti  Click HERE to see a list of academic, medical, and scientific publications related to this work