Meaning of "held" in this context

Hi~ what could be the best meaning of "held" in the part underlined?

"thought" or "stored"?

Thank you in advacne~

The brain associates new information with old and files related
data together. Therefore, connections occur naturally due to the learning
process. More important, the original function of the ability to naturally
make associations was a product of the primitive brain to enable survival.
Our basic survival requires us to be able to associate hazardous things
with danger. The distinction between relationships held in the cognitive
brain and those held in the primitive brain are significant. Connections

held in the cognitive brain imply control over information, conscious
awareness, and intentional behavior.