80 is the new 60

For a long time, scientists have been researching the aging of brains, and the explanations to how some maintain their mental integrity past their 80s and 90s. While some adults can retain they lucidity in old age, others suffer from early onset of Alzheimer, and the reason behind this has been worth investigating. The reasons might be biological, behavioral, or environmental, hence why there are a lot of different studies looking at different possible causes. 

One such study is done by Tamar Gefen and her team, who work with a group of people termed “SuperAgers” in hopes of revealing biological factors to neural resilience in old age. The SuperAgers are adults older than 80 whos episodic memory is equal to, or better, than individuals 20 to 30 younger. Gefen and her team investigated the in vivo structural features of a particular region of the brain called the cingulate cortex, which in preliminary investigations showed to be thicker in SuperAgers compared to healthy 60 to 65 year-olds. They also conducted histological analysis of this region in postmortem specimens. They found that the cingulate cortex was thinner in cognitively average 80 year-olds than in the healthy middle age group, however a region of the anterior cingulate cortex in the right hemisphere showed to be thicker in SuperAgers than the average 80 year-olds and the healthy 50 to 60 year-olds. From the postmortem investigations Gefen concluded that SuperAgers also showed a lower frequency of Alzheimer-type neurofibrillary tangles and a higher density of von Economo neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex. There was no difference in total neural size or count between the SuperAgers, normal 80 year olds, and healthy 50 to 60 year-olds.  These findings suggest that SuperAgers have a reduced vulnerability to age-related emergence of Alzheimer pathology, and the higher density of von Economo neurons may suggest a biological correlation of high memory capacity in advanced old age for the SuperAgers. The findings seem to point to the conclusion that SuperAgers have a biological signature. It has been documented previously that cingulate atrophy can serve as a predictor of progression to dementia, therefore its tempting to say that the high cortical thickness in cingulate regions may contribute to preserved cognitive function in old age as the anterior cingulate has influence over functions such as cognitive control, conflict resolution, motivation, and perseverance. However, since the study only focuses on the cingulate cortex in-depth analyses of other key paralimbic and limbic regions need to be performed for context in order to underscore the uniqueness of the cingulate in SuperAging. 

Another study that has also been researching the aging brain has been focusing on a super  So far scientists have found little evidence that diet or exercise affects the risks of dementia in people older than 90, but argue that mental engagement and social connections might delay the onset. Dr. Kawas says that “interacting with people regularly, even strangers, uses easily as much brain power as doing puzzles, and it would not surprise me if this is what it is all about”. Additionally, other studies have suggested that some genes may help people remain lucid even with the biological markings of Alzheimer disease. Therefore, aside from activities trackings, blood samples, and some postmortem analyses, genetic tests have also been added to the 90+ study. Therefore, the study seems to be covering all both the biological and behavioral perspectives, but so far has been making conclusions based on the behavioral approach.

memory club. This club includes individuals who are 90 or older and have completely lucid brains with no sign of dementia. The group is finally large enough to help researchers tease apart what exactly is necessary for preservation of mental sharpness. The study was started at University of California at Berkley and was deemed the “90+ study”, who’s center is at the Laguna Woods Village retirement community of 20,000 south of Los Angeles. Here residents are said to begin a new life, make new friends, try new hobbies, and live for the moment. Studies like these take a long time to produce results, but they are starting to influence the way scientists understand the aging brain. The evidence points to the fact that people who spend long periods of time, three or more hours a day, engrossed in mental activities like playing cards, are at a reduced risk of dementia. Now researchers are trying to figure out if the elders are active because they are sharp, or if they are sharp because they are active. Dr. Claudia Kawas, a neurologist at the University of California, Irvine says that “these are the most successful agers on Earth, and they are only beginning to teach us what is important in their genes, in their routines, and in their lives”. Kawas explains that her team thinks it is very important to keep using your brain and challenging your mind, and they are also seeing that social components may be crucial.

The 90+ study evidence points towards mental engagement and socializing clues, while the SuperAgers study points towards biological clues. Yet, there are many more studies out there that point to even more clues. Thus, the one thing known for sure is that a lot of factors go into the different levels of lucidity in older brains. Scientists have already found some causes, but the search has to continue.  

Works Cited

Carey, Benedict. "At the Bridge Table, Clues to a Lucid Old Age." The New York Times, 21 May 2009. Web. 01 May 2016.

Gefen, Tamar. "Morphometric and Histologic Substrates of Cingulate Integrity in Elders with Exceptional Memory Capacity." Journal of Neuroscience 35.4 (2015): 1781-791. ResearchGate. Web. 01 May 2016.