Scientists Found a Clue That May Explain the “Super-Ager” Brain

Smarty Pants: So-called “super-agers” are people over 80 whose memories perform as well as those of people decades younger. Scientists have studied them for years, hoping to understand why some brains stay sharp well into old age while others decline. Recently, they’ve uncovered some new clues. 

The Study: A new study published in Nature examined donated brain tissue from several groups, including super-agers, healthy older adults, and people with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers focused on the hippocampus, a brain region that plays a massive role in memory. They discovered that super-agers had far more newly developing neurons than their peers — roughly double the amount of new neurons as other older adults. This suggests their brains may still be actively generating fresh brain cells well into their 80s and beyond.

The Takeaway: Scientists also identified what they call a “resilience signature,” or a cellular environment that helps new neurons form and survive. The findings hint that exceptional memory in old age may come from brains that keep renewing themselves, which appears to be a genetically driven process.

Keep in Mind: The study relied on a small amount of samples, meaning the results are intriguing and certainly exciting, but not yet definitive. And your brain health is in your hands, genetically blessed or not.