Scientists have determined “Superagers” — seniors 80 and older, whose memories and mental functions are much sharper than those of their peers — have distinctly different brain features than those of normal older people, and are studying them to determine why.
The research initiative, led by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, could lead to a better understanding of why the memories of these elite elders don't suffer the usual ravages of time and remain as sharp as those of healthy people decades younger.
Understanding their unique "brain signature" may enable them to decipher the genetic or molecular reasons, which could foster the development of strategies to protect the memories of people as they age, as well as treat dementia.
New research findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found that brains of 80-year-old “Superagers”:
- Look 30 years younger.
- Have 90 percent fewer tangles of amyloid proteins linked to Alzheimer's
- Contain more neurons related to higher social intelligence.
"The brains of the Superagers are either wired differently or have structural differences when compared to normal individuals of the same age," said Changiz Geula, study senior author and a research professor at the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center. "It may be one factor, such as expression of a specific gene, or a combination of factors that offers protection."
The Center has a new NIH grant to continue the research.
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