Ageing can slow down our brains and their functions. It is one of the reasons why most people 50 and above are at a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. But sometimes, even 80-year-olds have a sharper memory than most 50-year-olds.
A new study from Northwestern University shines a light on these rare individuals known as SuperAgers — people in their 80s and beyond whose brains seem to age much more slowly than average. This research, spanning over 25 years, not only challenges what we’ve long believed about ageing and memory but also brings hope that sharp thinking in old age might not be as rare as we once thought.
Who Are The SuperAgers?
SuperAgers are not your typical senior citizens. At 80 or older, they can remember a list of nine or more words after a delay, something most 50- or 60-year-olds can do, but very few 80-year-olds manage. That’s the bar researchers used to identify them.
But what’s fascinating about them is that these people don’t necessarily live ‘healthy’ lives. Some smoke, some drink, some skip the gym. What they do seem to have in common, though, is a love for life, strong social connections, and active engagement with the world around them.
They’re often outgoing, chatty, and full of personality—one researcher described them as “gregarious”.
The Secret Behind SuperAgers’ Sharp Memory: What Research Has Found
The term 'SuperAger' was introduced by Dr. M. Marsel Mesulam, who founded the Mesulam Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at Northwestern in the late 1990s. As of now, 290 older adults with sharp memory have enrolled in the study, with 79 later donating their brains for scientific analysis.
According to the study published on August 7, 2025, in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, SuperAgers’ brains look quite different under the microscope and in MRI scans. Researchers found that their brains aren’t shrinking as fast. Most older adults experience thinning of the brain’s outer layer — the cortex — as they age. But SuperAgers retain thickness similar to people decades younger, especially in the anterior cingulate cortex, a region linked to attention and emotional regulation.
They also have more of a special kind of brain cell called von Economo neurones, found in species known for social intelligence, like dolphins and apes. These neurones may help with decision-making and social connection — two things SuperAgers seem to excel at.
Additionally, the brains of most people over 70 show some buildup of tau tangles — twisted fibres linked to memory decline. SuperAgers, however, have significantly fewer, and many have no signs of Alzheimer’s at all, even at age 90 or older. Their brain cells stay healthier. From larger neurones in memory pathways to better-preserved communication systems, SuperAgers seem to maintain the machinery of memory better than others their age.
"What we realised is there are two mechanisms that lead someone to become a SuperAger," said Dr Sandra Weintraub, the study’s lead author and a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "One is resistance: they don’t make the plaques and tangles. Two is resilience: they make them, but they don’t do anything to their brains."
Also Read: How Does Hara Hachi Bu Work? The Japanese Eating Trick For Weight Loss
Conclusion
The idea that memory loss is inevitable with age is being rewritten. SuperAgers are living proof that some people can maintain exceptional memory well into their 80s, 90s, and beyond, and that this ability is reflected in the very structure and biology of their brains.
We still don’t fully understand what makes a SuperAger. Some may have been born with protective traits, while others may have developed them through rich social lives or other unknown factors. But one thing is clear: sharp memory in old age is possible, and studying SuperAgers may help more of us get there.
Dr Tamar Gefen, a co-author of the paper and director of Feinberg’s Laboratory for Translational Neuropsychology, emphasised the long-term value of brain donations from SuperAgers: "Many of the findings from this paper stem from the examination of brain specimens of generous, dedicated SuperAgers who were followed for decades." "I am constantly amazed by how brain donation can enable discovery long after death, offering a kind of scientific immortality."