“Super-agers” who remember everything at 80 – four things in common

Northwestern Medicine scientists define “super-agers” as adults older than 80, “who have the memory capacity of individuals who are at least three decades younger.” Super-agers are “highly social” and have brains that “resist the buildup of Alzheimer’s-related plaques and tangles.”

super-agers share these four traits:

• Exceptional memory performance: Delayed word recall test results were on par with 50 to 60-year-olds.
• Youthful brain structure: There was “no significant thinning” of the outer layer of their brain. “This crucial region of the brain plays a significant role in integrating information related to decision-making, emotion and motivation,” explained researchers.
• Unique cellular traits: Increased amount of von economo neurons (associated with social behaviors) and larger entorhinal neurons (linked to memory), versus “typical” aging peers.
• Sociability as a common trait: SuperAgers are “highly social” and maintain “strong interpersonal relationships.”

The findings are set to be published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

However, scientists have yet to pinpoint how a person becomes a Super-Ager. Does it have to do with diet or lifestyle habits? Can it be chalked up to genetics? Do certain medications or environmental factors lower your risk of becoming a Super-Ager? These are all questions experts hope to answer “by identifying biological and behavioral traits” linked to SuperAging.