In many ways, our memories shape who we are. They make up our internal biographies — the stories we tell ourselves about what we've done with our lives. They tell us who we're connected to, who we've touched during our lives, and who has touched us. In short, our memories are crucial to the essence of who we are as human beings.
Memory loss affects the practical side of life. It's a problem when you have trouble remembering how to get from your house to the grocery store or how to do the tasks that make up your job. Losing your memory means both losing your ability to live independently and not being able to remember your past experiences. It's not surprising, then, that concerns about loss of memory and thinking skills ranks among the top fears people have as they age.