Revealing Why We Remember with Charan Ranganath
Inquiring Minds
00:00
The Terrifying Experience of Amnesia
Amnesia can trigger a profound feeling of existential fear by disorienting individuals in time and space, leading to a loss of identity and a sense of being adrift. For people with memory disorders like mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's, the anchoring role of memory in the present becomes evident when they struggle to recall recent events and locations, causing moments of distress and fear. The fear of amnesia often surpasses the impact of memory loss itself, as it leaves individuals without a reference point to navigate their past, present, and future.
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