Dagens Nyheter: SuperAgers - People Over 80 with the Memory of 50-Year-Olds

Research particularly points to the hippocampus, the brain's central memory hub. In super-agers, the brain appears to continue forming new nerve cells to a greater extent than in other older individuals. Studies have in some cases shown almost twice as many newly formed nerve cells in the hippocampus compared to normal aging.

This is important in relation to Alzheimer's disease, as the hippocampus is one of the areas affected early in the disease process. If the brain can continue to create new nerve cells, it can help preserve memory despite aging.

Researchers have also observed that super-agers often have thicker cerebral cortices and slower loss of brain volume. In some cases, their brains also seem to be more resistant to the proteins (amyloid and tau) associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Studies therefore point to two possible explanations:

• Resistance – the brain develops fewer of the changes that lead to dementia.

• Resilience – the brain manages to function despite the presence of such changes.

Research on super-agers can therefore provide important clues as to how to protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease in the future.

My comment:

The interesting thing here is that research shows that the brain can continue to form new nerve cells even at an old age. This is precisely the type of mechanism that many new treatments and lifestyle strategies are trying to support.