The role of the hippocampal formation in learning and memory has long been
recognized. However, despite decades of intensive research, the neurobiolog
ical basis of this process in the hippocampus remains enigmatic, Over 30 ye
ars ago, the production of new neurons was found to occur in the brains of
adult rodents. More recently, the documentation of adult neurogenesis in th
e hippocampal formation of a variety of mammals, including humans, has sugg
ested a novel approach towards understanding the biological bases of hippoc
ampal function. Contemporary theories of hippocampal function include an im
portant role for this brain region in associative learning. The addition of
new neurons and consequently. their novel contribution to hippocampal circ
uitry could conceivably be a mechanism for relating spatially or temporally
disparate events. In this review, we examine several lines of evidence sug
gesting that adult-generated neurons are involved in hippocampal-dependent
learning. In particular, we examine the variables that modulate hippocampal
neurogenesis in adulthood and their relation to learning and memory.