The term medial temporal lobe is a misnomer for the combination of hippocampal formation ( HPF ) and posterior parahippocampal gyrus (PPG), key parts of the limbic lobe (LLB). The term first entered the language with noninvasive imaging of the brain in the 1980s and '90s ( Ngram-2022 ). It is the functionally defined anatomical substrate for declarative memory (conscious memory for facts and events) ( Squire-2004 ).Updated 9 Jul 2026.