Scientists have discovered a significant breakthrough in understanding brain aging after analyzing brain samples donated for scientific research.
The study shows that so-called "superagers" - people over the age of 80 with exceptionally good memory and cognitive skills - have a much greater ability to produce new neurons.
Neurons are specialized cells that transmit vital electrical signals in the body. It has been known since the 1980s that even the adult brain can create new neurons, a process called neurogenesis. But this new study shows that this mechanism is particularly active in older adults with remarkably preserved cognitive function.
The researchers found that the brains of people with early signs of cognitive decline produced very few new neurons, while in Alzheimer's patients this ability was almost nonexistent. In contrast, the "super-agers" showed high neurogenesis, especially in key areas of the brain associated with memory.
Currently, around one million people are thought to be living with dementia in the UK, and this number is expected to rise due to the ageing population. According to the researchers, these findings could pave the way for new targeted treatments aimed at preserving cognitive health in old age.
Ahmed Disouky of the University of Illinois Chicago said the study sends a hopeful message to the public: the aging brain is not necessarily doomed to deteriorate. He said understanding how some people manage to naturally maintain neurogenesis could help develop strategies to protect memory and cognitive function.
Professor Orly Lazarov, from the same university's College of Medicine, also described the study as a major step forward in understanding how the human brain thinks, forms memories and ages. She added that discovering the reasons why some brains age more healthily than others could lead to the development of therapies for healthy aging, cognitive resilience and the prevention of Alzheimer's and similar dementias.
Referring to "superaggers," Prof. Lazarov emphasized that something special in their brains enables them to maintain a superior memory, and according to her, neurogenesis in the hippocampus appears to be the "secret ingredient" that explains this phenomenon.
The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Nature and researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Washington also participated in the research. /GazetaExpress/
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