Senior author, Orly Lazarov, a neuroscience professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, noted that SuperAgers actually had more newly developed neurons than even adults in their 30s and 40s.
She described their neurogenesis profile as a sign of resilience against age-related decline.
Researchers say genetics may play a role, but lifestyle choices also matter. Dr. Richard Isaacson of the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Florida, who was not involved in the study, pointed to evidence that diet, regular exercise, stress reduction, quality sleep, and managing vascular health can promote brain growth and reduce hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, including tau tangles and amyloid plaques.
To qualify as a SuperAger, a person must be over 80 and perform on memory tests at levels comparable to much younger adults.
According to experts, SuperAgers typically excel in episodic memory, the ability to recall everyday events and personal experiences. Importantly, their cognitive edge is not simply due to higher intelligence.
Many SuperAgers share personality and lifestyle traits. They tend to stay mentally engaged by reading or learning new skills, remain socially active, and often continue working or volunteering well into their 80s.
However, researchers emphasize that healthy habits alone do not fully explain their brain structure.
Brain tissue analysis revealed that SuperAgers have a thicker cingulate cortex, a region linked to attention and motivation, compared with people decades younger.
Their hippocampus also contains significantly fewer tau tangles, a key marker of Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, neurons in the entorhinal cortex, one of the first regions affected by Alzheimer’s, appeared unusually large and structurally robust.
The study, published in the journal Nature, used a cutting-edge technique called multiomic single-cell sequencing.
This allowed scientists to examine different cell types across donor brains, including SuperAgers, younger adults, healthy older adults, and individuals with dementia.
Results highlighted two cell types as critical to memory preservation: astrocytes and CA1 neurons. CA1 neurons help store and retrieve experiences and are typically among the first damaged in Alzheimer’s disease.
Astrocytes, which regulate blood flow and support communication between neurons, were found to play an enhanced supportive role in SuperAger brains.
Researchers say these findings offer new insight into how certain brains resist the effects of aging.
The coordination between immature neurons, CA1 circuits, and astrocytes appears to create a rich biological environment that protects memory and cognitive strength well into advanced age.
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