The hippocampus sits at the intersection of memory consolidation, spatial navigation, emotional regulation, and cognitive reserve, making it one of the most clinically significant structures in the entire central nervous system. Yet despite its outsized role in patient outcomes, hippocampal health, adult neurogenesis, and trace-element neuroscience rarely receive the depth they deserve in post-graduate clinical training. As research into brain resilience accelerates, clinicians grounded in hippocampal physiology and emerging neuroprotective frameworks are operating at the leading edge of functional neurology practice.

This one-hour course with Dr. Darcy Dane, DC, DACNB closes that gap with precision. Beginning with a comprehensive review of hippocampal anatomy and the mechanisms driving adult hippocampal neurogenesis, the course builds systematically toward a critical appraisal of lithium as a physiological trace element. The landmark 2025 Nature paper by Aron, Yankner and colleagues is examined in clinical detail alongside the integrative framework advanced by Dr. Michael Nehls. A brief historical interlude, the 7-Up story, situates lithium's story within a broader cultural and scientific context before the session moves into practical clinical application. Clear safety guardrails distinguish trace-level physiological lithium from psychiatric-dose pharmacology, giving clinicians the confidence to engage this research responsibly and accurately with patients.

Functional neurologists, chiropractic neurologists, and integrative clinicians who are already working with vestibular rehabilitation, oculomotor training, cognitive-motor protocols, and lifestyle medicine will find this course directly applicable. The frameworks presented integrate seamlessly into existing clinical tools, extending their neurophysiological rationale and deepening patient care outcomes without requiring a departure from established scope of practice.