Khaberni - A study conducted by researchers from Northwestern University in the United States revealed that some elderly people maintain exceptional mental sharpness throughout their lives due to a unique brain structure and the absence of harmful proteins.
Alzheimer’s & Dementia journal indicates that the results of a study conducted on what is known as "super-agers" contradict the prevailing belief that cognitive decline is inevitable with aging. It turns out that the unique brain structure and absence of harmful proteins could help avoid cognitive decline and diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia even in old age.
It is worth noting that the researchers followed participants aged 80 and over, who demonstrated consistent performance in memory tests, similar to that of people at least three decades younger. To explain these capabilities, the team analyzed dozens of brain samples that had been donated to science.
The researchers identified two main mechanisms behind what is known as "exceptional aging." The first is a strong biological resistance, as their brains do not accumulate amyloid plaques and tau proteins associated with dementia. The second is significant neural resilience, where these proteins, if present, do not cause noticeable damage to the neural connections.
The results also revealed distinctive anatomical features, as these individuals do not notably experience thinning of the cerebral cortex with age, which is the layer responsible for the higher functions of the nervous system. In some cases, the anterior cingulate cortex – responsible for decision-making and emotion regulation – was thicker compared to middle-aged individuals.
In addition to biological factors, the researchers observed common behavioral patterns, notably high social activity and maintaining close human relationships. Cellular analyses also showed an increase in the number of von Economo neurons, which are associated with social behavior.
The study suggests that these findings could be of great importance to medicine, as understanding the biological and behavioral mechanisms that maintain brain resilience could open the door to developing new strategies for dementia prevention and enhancing brain health in the elderly.
