The Super-seniors, A Phenomenon Without Explanation
Super-seniors are special beings who question what we thought until now about brain aging. These are people who arrive in their 80s or 90s with cognitive functioning similar to, or even better than, that of a younger person.
No organ in the human body changes more than the brain in a lifetime. Between 0 and 6 years old, it can grow four times bigger. From birth to adulthood, it exponentially multiplies its capacities and functions. Then it ends up getting old.
In the case of super-seniors, this does not happen. These people keep their memories intact and functioning until very late ages. What explains this? Why do some people’s brains defy time and retain their youth?
Normal aging of the brain
The normal aging of the brain depends on many factors. We cannot therefore establish a defined age for this type of process. Usually, at the age of 60, certain changes occur in this organ. Lifestyle plays an important role, however. Aging can even start earlier.
In any case, from the age of 40, the brain begins to “shrink” at a rate of 5% per year. From the age of 70, this process is faster. The main changes that take place with brain aging are:
- Decrease in brain mass. Contraction occurs in the frontal lobe and in the hippocampus. This usually happens around the age of 60-70.
- Thinning of the outer surface of the groove. This slows down brain processing.
- Reduction of myelin which affects white matter. This leads to a slowdown in cognitive functions.
- Decreased activity of neurotransmitters. This leads to decreased memory and the ability to learn, in addition to predisposing to depression.
All of these processes are normal and, when added to the decrease in acuity of the senses, lead to learning, information processing and memory that no longer functions as before.
The phenomenon of super-seniors
Based on various research with older people, we have come to the conclusion that some older people have much younger brains than their peers. Science still does not know the reason.
However, we know that these people are able to respond to memory and cognition tests as a 20-year-old would. It has also been successfully established that, for some reason, their brains are aging at a much slower rate than they should.
According to scientific research, in super-seniors, brain shrinkage is in the order of 1% per year. Moreover, it is not registered as such until after 70 years. The images reveal that their brains are larger and show little sign of aging at older ages.
Genetics and lifestyle
It is now believed that there is a genetic factor that decisively influences super seniors to age their brains at a slower rate. They aren’t necessarily smarter than their peers, and not all of them have had particularly healthy lifestyles.
A study is underway, through which we seek to determine whether there is a substance in the blood plasma that contributes to making this phenomenon possible. This study is being carried out by Chilean geriatrician Felipe Salech, who follows the hypothesis that it is possible that a substance bound to lymphocytes causes this effect of decreasing brain aging.
Research also reports that a lot of super seniors have had similar lifestyles anyway. In general, many of these seniors exercise frequently, participate in intellectually stimulating activities, have active social lives and sleep well.
A good number of them also had a healthy diet. Apparently, foods rich in omega-3s affect their brain youth. Everything suggests that this substance has a positive influence on the neural network.
A similar thing happens with the Mediterranean diet. For the moment, super-seniors are still a wonderful puzzle which, if solved, would surely end up benefiting everyone.
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