Is there a negative correlation between explicit memory and hippocampal volume?

The aim of this research was to study the relationship between explicit mem ory and hippocampal volume. Seventy healthy adults were administered one im plicit memory test and one explicit memory (EM) test and underwent magnetic resonance imaging. The major finding was a negative correlation between th e EM test and the right hippocampus/brain volume ratio (t = -0.25, P = 0.03 ) and the left hippocampus/brain volume ratio (t = -0.27, P = 0.02), This f inding is not consistent with pathologic findings, which tend to show a rel ationship between decrease in memory performance and hippocampal atrophy. T his discrepancy is discussed, (C) 1999 Academic Press.