NBC News reported that Northwestern University has been following a group of "superAgers" over the age of 80 for 25 years. They have retained the memory of young people at a high age, revealing that long-term poverty is not necessarily equ...
NBC News reported that Northwestern University has been following a group of "superAgers" over the age of 80 for 25 years. They have retained the memory of young people at a high age, revealing that long-term poverty is not necessarily equivalent to forgetfulness, and their secrets are likely to be hidden in unique brain structures and genetic codes.
Sel Yackley, now 85, participates in choirs, produces products, exercises, reads, and participates in social activities every day, and ensures that she sleeps an average of 7.5 hours a night. Her memory extends single-word reverb tests, which are comparable to those of people between 20 and 30 years of age. Researchers call this type of person "super seniors", which means they are over 80 years old and still have memory performances that are far superior to those of the same age. Tamar Gefen, co-author of the study and associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral science, pointed out that the anatomy of nearly 80 super elderly people showed that the brains of the brains of the Tau protein in their memory was revealed. The number of tangles is far lower than that of ordinary people, and the difference in β amyloid plaques is not big.
Tau protein ceramide and β plaque protein is one of the common pathological characteristics in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. This has made the scientific community rethink: whether the current treatment that focuses on removing patches is aimed at the correct goal.
In addition, super elderly people often have larger indorhinal neurons, which are important neural cells in control of memory, and more von Economo neurons related to social behavior. Geffen suggested that these structural advantages may be inherent in nature, but the team is looking for protection mechanisms in the cell molecular layer.
Although genes play an important role, Geffen emphasized that super elderly people do not rely on transmission alone. Many people maintain a high sense of connection in their lives, whether they interact closely with land, ancestors, art, or family. She said: "You rarely see isolated super elderly people." Since its launch in 2000, nearly 300 people have participated, and only about 10% meet the "super elderly people" standards. Currently, 101 participants from 81 to 111 years old are still under study.
Although super-old people are rare, the example of Jerkeley and others shows that memory sneering is not always a mark of aging.
