Super-Agers’ Brains Have a Special Ability, New Study Suggests
The New York Times • • health
Key Points:
- A new study published in Nature reveals that "super-agers," individuals aged 80 and above with memory abilities comparable to those 30 years younger, have significantly higher levels of neurogenesis in the hippocampus compared to typical older adults and those with Alzheimer's disease.
- The research provides biological evidence that the aging brain remains plastic and capable of generating new neurons well into old age, challenging previous assumptions about brain decline.
- Scientists identified genetic markers for neural stem cells, neuroblasts, and immature neurons in autopsied brains of young adults, indicating active neurogenesis and maturation of new neurons.
- The findings highlight the hippocampus as a critical region for learning and memory and suggest that maintaining neurogenesis may be key to preserving cognitive function
