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'Super-agers' a select few whose brains withstand ravages of time

Date: August 18 2012

Rebecca Smith, London


Now scientists have discovered that they are among a group of octogenarian ''super-agers'' who have brains like people 30 years younger.

MRI scans have found that some people in their 80s have more developed sections of the brain associated with memory, attention and thinking skills.


Emily Rogalski, an assistant professor in cognitive neurology, said: ''The super-agers really are a diverse group; not all were wealthy, some exercised five times a week, while others only ran if they were chased.

''Some individuals smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years and had a martini each evening, while others never touched alcohol or cigarettes.


Researchers scanned the brains of 12 people in their 80s who scored extremely highly on memory and thinking tests, with average results similar to or better than middle-aged people.

They then compared them with the brain scans of 10 normally ageing 80-year-olds and middle-aged people.





Some were on a multitude of medicines for various conditions, while others were physically healthy.

Professor Rogalski said: ''By looking at a really healthy older brain, we can start to deduce how super-agers are able to maintain their good memory.


''What we learn from these healthy brains may inform our strategies for improving quality of life for the elderly and for combating Alzheimer's disease.''

Another part of the brain, the anterior cingulate, was also thicker in the super-agers than in the 50 to 65-year-olds.

Professor Rogalski said: ''This is pretty incredible. This region is important for attention. Attention supports memory.

''Perhaps the super-agers have really keen attention and that supports their exceptional memories. These are a special group of people.''

The Telegraph


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