Study Finds Neuroplasticity Keeps Super-Agers Mentally Sharp in Advanced Age

While cognitive decline is common in people in their 80s and 90s, a small group of older adults, known as “super-agers,” defy this trend by maintaining sharp thinking and memory comparable to individuals decades younger. A new study by scientists at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, sheds light on the neurological and genetic factors that contribute to this remarkable phenomenon.

Published on Wednesday in the journal Nature, the research examined cell and gene patterns in the brains of adults experiencing age-related cognitive decline. The study focused on identifying markers of neurogenesis—the formation of new neurons—which plays a crucial role in memory, learning, and brain plasticity. Orly Lazarov, director of UIC’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Training Program, led the study and emphasized that neurogenesis represents one of the most profound forms of brain plasticity.

The researchers analyzed 38 brains from five groups of deceased adults, investigating the presence of neural stem cells, neuroblasts, and immature neurons. Lazarov explained that neural stem cells can be likened to babies, neuroblasts to teenagers, and immature neurons to young adults, highlighting how these cells mature to maintain cognitive function. The team found that while all three cell types were present in varying amounts across groups, super-agers had substantially higher levels of immature neurons in their hippocampi, a region critical for memory and spatial navigation.

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Tamar Gefen, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and co-contributor to the study, noted that super-aging is not only due to the abundance of young neurons but also to specific genetic programming that preserves these cells. This combination allows super-agers’ brains to maintain greater neuroplasticity, enabling adaptation and compensation for age-related changes.

The findings confirm that adult hippocampal neurogenesis continues into advanced age and is associated with better memory performance. While the study does not yet establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship, it opens avenues for understanding how the brain can resist cognitive decline. Researchers hope that further insights from super-agers could inform strategies to prevent or slow memory loss in the broader population.

Previous studies have identified common traits among super-agers, including healthy lifestyles, protective genetic variants, higher education and mental stimulation, larger brain volume, and more efficient neural connections. By uncovering the biological and genetic foundations of super-aging, scientists aim to harness these mechanisms to benefit millions of people worldwide.

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