Editing Hippocampus (section)

===Role in approach-avoidance conflict processing===
{{Further |Reward system}}
[[Approach-avoidance conflict]] happens when a situation is presented that can either be [[Reward system|rewarding]] or punishing, and the ensuing decision-making has been associated with [[anxiety]].<ref name="O'Neil">{{cite journal | vauthors = O'Neil EB, Newsome RN, Li IH, Thavabalasingam S, Ito R, Lee AC | title = Examining the Role of the Human Hippocampus in Approach-Avoidance Decision Making Using a Novel Conflict Paradigm and Multivariate Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging | journal = The Journal of Neuroscience | volume = 35 | issue = 45 | pages = 15039–15049 | date = November 2015 | pmid = 26558775 | pmc = 6605357 | doi = 10.1523/jneurosci.1915-15.2015 }}</ref> [[fMRI]] findings from studies in approach-avoidance decision-making found evidence for a functional role that is not explained by either long-term memory or spatial cognition. Overall findings showed that the anterior hippocampus is sensitive to conflict, and that it may be part of a larger cortical and subcortical network seen to be important in decision-making in uncertain conditions.<ref name="O'Neil" />

A review makes reference to a number of studies that show the involvement of the hippocampus in conflict tasks. The authors suggest that one challenge is to understand how conflict processing relates to the functions of spatial navigation and memory and how all of these functions need not be mutually exclusive.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>