THE MYSTERY OF SUPER-AGERS

As people get older, they naturally began to have more memory problems. However, there are a few elderly people who do not lose memory as fast as their peers and have the mental capabilities of far younger people. Researchers call them super-agers.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are not the only diminished mental capacity problems common in the elderly. Almost everyone suffers from a loss of memory capability as they grow older.

A few people are lucky enough, however, to retain the memory capabilities of people in their 50s well into their 80s.

Researchers have been studying these super-agers, as they are called, for clues as to how the mental deterioration in other elderly persons can be alleviated or prevented.

FOX News recently reported on a discovery about what makes these super-agers different in "Super-agers: The unique traits of older adults with memories sharp as a tack."

Previous research had shown that super-agers have bigger brains than their peers.   The reason for that was unknown.

Scientists were uncertain if these super-agers always had bigger brains than average or if they had average-sized brains that deteriorated at a reduced rate.  

The latest research has shown that it is the latter.  This is an important breakthrough.

Super-agers' brains could deteriorate more slowly for many reasons. There could be psychological, biological or social causes.

If scientists can discover the cause, then they can use that information to help other people.

Reference: FOX News (April 5, 2017) "Super-agers: The unique traits of older adults with memories sharp as a tack."