The 'Superager' Secret: How Some People Stay Sharp Well Into Their 100s

Scientists have discovered that some people in their 80s and 90s maintain the same sharp memory as someone decades younger, and the secret lies deep within their remarkably resilient brains. These "superagers" represent only about 5% of people who think they qualify for such elite cognitive status, but their brains offer compelling clues about how we might all age more successfully.

What Makes a Superager's Brain Different?

Researchers at Northwestern University have been peering into the brains of these cognitive superstars, and what they've found is extraordinary. The cortex—an outer brain layer critical for memory and other key functions—in superagers is much thicker than normal for their age, resembling the brain structure of healthy 50- and 60-year-olds rather than their chronological peers.

But perhaps even more remarkable is how slowly these brains age. "Over 18 months, average 80-somethings experienced more than twice the rate of loss" compared to superagers, whose cortex doesn't shrink nearly as fast as their peers.

The Special Neurons That Set Superagers Apart

Deep within the brain's attention region, superagers harbor a remarkable secret. Autopsies of the first superagers to die during the study revealed they had four to five times more of a special type of nerve cell called von Economo neurons—unusual large, spindly neurons thought to play a role in social processing and awareness.

"These elite elders are more than just an oddity or a rarity," said neuroscientist Molly Wagster of the National Institute on Aging. "There's the potential for learning an enormous amount and applying it to the rest of us, and even to those who may be on a trajectory for some type of neurodegenerative disease."

What Does It Take to Qualify as a Superager?

The bar for superager status is surprisingly high. Neuroscientist Emily Rogalski's team has tested more than 1,000 people who thought they'd qualify, but only about 5% pass the rigorous memory challenges. The key test involves listening to 15 unrelated words and recalling at least nine of them after a half-hour delay—a performance level typical for 50-year-olds, while the average 80-year-old recalls only five words.

What's fascinating is how diverse these superagers are in their backgrounds and lifestyles. The research has revealed several surprising characteristics:

• Educational Background: Some superagers went to college while others didn't, showing formal education isn't the determining factor
• Intelligence Levels: Some have high intelligence quotients (IQs) while others are average, indicating raw intelligence alone doesn't predict superaging
• Life Experiences: The group includes people who've experienced enormous trauma, including Holocaust survivors, as well as fitness enthusiasts and even smokers
• Social Habits: They tend to be extroverts who report strong social networks, though they come from all walks of life

Take William "Bill" Gurolnick, who turns 87 next month and joined the study two years ago. Despite his father developing Alzheimer's disease in his 50s, Gurolnick maintains stellar memory through an active lifestyle that includes biking, tennis, water volleyball, and regular social activities with a men's group he co-founded. "Absolutely that's a critical factor about keeping your wits about you," he said after his monthly gin game.

Why Some Superagers Resist Alzheimer's Despite Brain Changes?

Perhaps most intriguingly, about 40% of the oldest-old who showed no symptoms of dementia in life nonetheless have full-fledged signs of Alzheimer's disease in their brains at death, according to Dr. Claudia Kawas at the University of California, Irvine, who studies people 90 and above.

Rogalski also found varying amounts of amyloid and tau—hallmark Alzheimer's proteins—in the brains of some superagers, suggesting these individuals have found ways to deflect damage that would typically cause cognitive decline in others.

"Instead of focusing on drugs to fight or prevent Alzheimer's disease, why don't we figure out what it is we might need to do to maximize our memory?" said Rogalski, who leads the SuperAging study. The research suggests that superagers may have different pathways to brain health, offering hope that their secrets might be applicable to the rest of us.

As scientists continue exploring how these remarkable individuals maintain their cognitive edge, the ultimate question remains: "Are there modifiable things we can think about today, in our everyday lives" to follow in their footsteps? The answer may reshape how we approach brain health and aging.