For more than 25 years, a team at Northwestern Medicine has been watching people who are 80 years old or older. These volunteers are called “SuperAgers” because their minds stay very sharp.
SuperAgers do just as well on memory tests as people who are at least 30 years younger. This challenges the old idea that getting older always means the brain gets weaker.
Researchers have noticed a few habits that set SuperAgers apart. They tend to be very social and like talking with others. But the biggest surprise came from looking inside their brains.
By spotting both the brain changes and the daily habits of SuperAgers, scientists hope to find ways to keep anyone’s brain healthy and lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
What Makes a SuperAger Brain?
The term “SuperAger” was first used by Dr. M. Marsel Mesulam at Northwestern in the late 1990s. Since the year 2000, 290 people have joined the study, and after they passed away, 77 of their brains were examined.
Some of these brains still had the sticky plaques and tangled fibers (amyloid and tau) that are linked to Alzheimer’s. Others had none at all.
Dr. Sandra Weintraub explains that there are two ways a brain can stay sharp:
- Resistance: The brain never makes the harmful plaques and tangles.
- Resilience: The brain makes them, but they do not damage the brain.
Key Findings About SuperAgers
- Excellent memory: On a word‑recall test, SuperAgers score at least 9 out of 15 – the same as people in their 50s and 60s.
- Younger‑looking brain shape: Their outer brain layer (the cortex) stays thick, and a part called the anterior cingulate can even be thicker than in younger adults.
- Special brain cells: They have more von Economo neurons (linked to social behavior) and larger entorhinal neurons, which help with memory.
- Strong social life: Most SuperAgers keep close friendships and enjoy talking with others, even if their exercise habits differ.
Brain Donation Helps Science
People in the program are checked every year. They can also choose to donate their brain after they die. These donations have given researchers the clues they needed.
Why This Matters
The study, titled “The First 25 Years of the Northwestern SuperAging Program,” was published in a special issue of Alzheimer’s & Dementia. The hope is that the new knowledge will guide future ways to protect the brain and let more people think clearly well into old age.
Take‑away Points
- SuperAgers are 80‑plus adults whose memory works as well as people at least 30 years younger.
- They are very social and keep their brains either resistant to or resilient against Alzheimer‑related damage.
- These insights could change how scientists try to delay or stop dementia caused by Alzheimer’s or other brain diseases.