As we get older, it’s normal to forget where you keep your keys or mix up your grandchildren’s names.
But a select group of people, known as ‘superagers’, have memories as good as those 30 years younger.
Now scientists have discovered how they maintain this excellent memory, raising hopes for a treatment for dementia.
As we get older, it’s normal to forget where you keep your keys or mix up your grandchildren’s names. But a select group of people, known as ‘superagers’, have memories as good as those 30 years younger.
Experts from the Polytechnic University of Madrid carried out a five-year study comparing the brain structures of older people with those of older adults who experience typical memory loss.
They found significant structural differences suggesting that the integrity of white matter, which allows brain regions to communicate with each other, was healthier in older people.
Their findings suggest that older people better preserve white matter in the brain.
Understanding the mechanisms behind this structural difference may be an important next step in developing treatments to protect memory in those of us who don’t have them naturally, the team said.
They wrote in the Journal of Neuroscience: “Episodic memory is one of the cognitive abilities most vulnerable to aging.”
“Although memory normally declines with age, some older people may have memory performance similar to that of people 30 years younger, and this phenomenon is often conceptualized as superaging.
“Understanding the super-age phenotype may provide insight into protective mechanisms against age-related memory loss and dementia.”
Separate research has also revealed that older people have a thicker region of the brain called the cingulate cortex, which is considered important for memory, attention and motivation.
The term “superager” can also refer to someone in their 70s and 80s who has the physical capabilities of their decades-younger counterparts.
Previous studies have found that older people who exercise regularly at high intensity may have the aerobic capacity of people 30 years younger.
Experts have suggested that taking on mental challenges such as crossword puzzles, math games, or even assembling flat-packed furniture can help increase your chances of becoming a senior.
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of neurological disorders.
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) that affect memory, thinking and behavior.
There are many types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.
Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own way.
Dementia is a global concern, but is seen more frequently in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live to a very old age.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that there are currently more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK. This number is expected to increase to 1.6 million by 2040.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of those diagnosed.
In the United States, there are an estimated 5.5 million Alzheimer’s patients. A similar percentage increase is expected in the coming years.
As a person’s age increases, the risk of developing dementia also increases.
Diagnosis rates are improving, but it is believed that many people with dementia are still undiagnosed.
IS THERE A CURE?
There is currently no cure for dementia.
But new medications can slow its progression and the earlier it is detected, the more effective the treatments can be.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society