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mammillary body
noun
variants
or mamillary body
anatomy
: either of two small, rounded bodies that project from the posterior hypothalamus, receive input from the hippocampus via the fornix and relay impulses to the anterior nuclei of the thalamus, and are thought to play a role in memory
Examples of mammillary body in a Sentence
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These symptoms are localized to a specific area of the brain known as the mammillary bodies near the brain stem, and may be caused by severe, chronic alcohol consumption.
—Greg Licholai, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
1828, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near mammillary body
Cite this Entry
“Mammillary body.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mammillary%20body. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Medical Definition
mammillary body
noun
variants
or mamillary body
: either of two small rounded bodies that project from the posterior hypothalamus, receive input from the hippocampus via the fornix and relay impulses to the anterior nuclei of the thalamus, and are thought to play a role in memory
called also corpus albicans
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