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LOS ANGELES - What if turning 80 didn’t mean losing your memory?
That’s the reality for a rare group of older adults known as SuperAgers—people who remain mentally sharp well into their 80s and beyond. In a newly published paper, Northwestern researchers say these individuals challenge everything we thought we knew about aging and dementia.
Over 25 years, the team has tracked the brains and behaviors of these standout seniors to understand what protects them—and how others might benefit.
Why researchers are studying SuperAgers
The backstory:
The term "SuperAger" was coined by Dr. M. Marsel Mesulam, who founded the Mesulam Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at Northwestern in the late 1990s. Since then, 290 older adults with exceptional memory have enrolled in the study, with 79 later donating their brains for scientific analysis.
These participants consistently scored 9 or higher out of 15 on a delayed word recall test, putting them on par with adults in their 50s and 60s. Brain imaging and autopsy results revealed some SuperAgers developed Alzheimer’s-linked proteins—amyloid plaques and tau tangles—but continued functioning normally. Others showed no buildup of those proteins at all.
A brain scan image showing the cortex and deep brain structures. A new study finds that SuperAgers—people over 80 with exceptional memory—have thicker cortical regions and unique neurons that may protect against Alzheimer’s. (Photo by Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)
"What we realized is there are two mechanisms that lead someone to become a SuperAger," said Dr. Sandra Weintraub, the study’s lead author and a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "One is resistance: they don’t make the plaques and tangles. Two is resilience: they make them, but they don’t do anything to their brains."
What makes a SuperAger brain different?
By the numbers:
The brains of SuperAgers stand out in several ways, researchers found:
- SuperAgers have a thicker anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region tied to emotion, motivation, and decision-making.
- They show little to no thinning of the cortex, a typical sign of aging.
- SuperAgers have more von Economo neurons, specialized cells linked to social behavior, and larger entorhinal neurons critical for memory.
- Despite lifestyle differences, most SuperAgers share one trait: they are highly social and maintain strong interpersonal relationships.
Why you should care:
The findings suggest that memory loss is not an inevitable part of aging—and that resistance or resilience to Alzheimer’s pathology may be possible.
"Our findings show that exceptional memory in old age is not only possible but is linked to a distinct neurobiological profile," Weintraub said. "This opens the door to new interventions aimed at preserving brain health well into the later decades of life."
Dr. Tamar Gefen, a co-author of the paper and director of Feinberg’s Laboratory for Translational Neuropsychology, emphasized the long-term value of brain donations from SuperAgers:
"Many of the findings from this paper stem from the examination of brain specimens of generous, dedicated SuperAgers who were followed for decades," Gefen said. "I am constantly amazed by how brain donation can enable discovery long after death, offering a kind of scientific immortality."
The Source: This report is based on information from Northwestern University and the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. Additional material was provided by the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease.