The human brain shrinks as aging, and it affects the ability to remember – it is part of life. Still, there are some happy ones called “supergurs” that have brains that fight back. For these people, memories remain as sharp as it has been 30 years or more in the past.
Carol Siegler, who lives in a suburb of Chicago in Palatina, is a superger. At the age of 82, she won the American Crossword tournament to her age group, which she said she entered “like a gag.”
“I asked Jeopardy twice and good enough to be invited to direct hearing.
Today, Siegler is still strengthening, on the way to the 90th birthday, said Tamar Gefen, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s disease at Northwestern University in Chicago.
Superger Carol Seigler was shown four years ago at the age of 85 when this photo was taken. – Jennifer Boyle
Gefen is conducting research on the Northwestern SuperaGing program, which currently studies 113 supergulters. However, in the last 25 years, 80 Supergers have donated their brain tissue to the program, which led to several charming discoveries.
CNN talked to Gefen about those decades. She is co -author of a new study published on Thursday Alzheimer’s & Dementia, Alzheimer’s Association magazine.
This interview was easily edited and shortened for clarity.
CNN: How do you define a supergero, and what have you learned about their behavior over the years?
Side side: To be a Superner in our Northwestern program, the person must be over 80 years of age and conduct detailed cognitive research. Acceptance in the study only occurs if a person’s episodic memory – the ability to remember everyday events and previous personal history – is as good or better than cognitively normal people between the ages of 50 and 60.
We have explored nearly 2,000 people who think they can be superger and less than 10% meet the criteria. In the last 25 years, we have studied about 300 supergristers – many have donated their brain to research.
One of the main features of the superior is that they look very social people. They value connection and are often active in their communities. This is interesting because we know that insulation is a risk factor for the development of dementia, so staying socially active is a well -known protective feature.
Another common thread in all the Supergegas is a sense of autonomy, freedom and independence. They make decisions and live the way they want to live.
I feel very strong that successful aging is not just about sociality. If a person feels stuck, tied or loaded, especially in a vulnerable state such as poor health or older, I think it can break into their entire psychosocial being.
However, when it comes to healthy behavior, Supergers controls the gamut. We have a superior to heart disease, diabetes that are not physically active, who do not eat better than their peers of their own.
There is one supermer who drinks four beer every night. He laughs and says, “Maybe it did me wrong, but I’ll never know.” He does not have an identical twin to compare his behavior, so would he live with 108 instead of 98? We don’t know.
CNN: Many of your intriguing discoveries have emerged in a donor brain tissue. What did you discover about the Superger Brain memory center?
Country: Our research has shown that the area of the brain responsible for attention, motivation and cognitive engagement, known as cigulatory bark, is thicker in supergeger, even compared to people aged 50-60.
In the hippocampus, the center of the brain memory, we found that there are three times less Supergers compared to “normal” peers. Abnormal protein formations are one of the main signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease in the case of illness also directs you to the neurons of the primary cholinergic system, which are responsible for maintaining our attention in our daily lives. But it does not happen in the superior brain. Therefore, it seems that the cholinergic system is stronger and is likely to be plastic and more flexible for reasons why we are not sure.
This is interesting because I see that the superior is concentrated. They can pay close attention, get involved and actively listening. How else could they remember 13 out of 15 random words after 30 minutes? I portray them engravings on their bark with the accusation.
The Superger’s brain also has larger, healthier cells Entorhinal Cortex, an area, a memory and learning area that has a direct connection to the Hippocampus. Entorhine bark, by the way, is one of the first areas of the brain, affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Tamar Gefen sees younger brains that are used for comparison with supergeger brain tissue. – Allegra Kawles
In another study, we studied each cell layer located in the entry bark of supergower, and we thoroughly measure the size of the neurons. We found that in the second layer, which is the layer that is the most important for the transmission of information, the supergathetic had humble, gloomy, intact, beautiful, giant entry into the entitial bark neurons.
It was an incredible discovery because their entry neurons were even larger than those who are much younger, some even 30. This told us that a component of structural integrity was played – as architecture, bones, the skeleton of the neuron itself is more strong.
We are expanding research on these neurons to understand their biochemical signatures, to determine what makes them special, and see if these signatures are found in other types of neurons in the supergeger’s brain. Are the same neurons particularly vulnerable to those with Alzheimer’s disease, and if so, why?
CNN: What did you learn from your investigation on how the Superger’s brain responds to injuries, diseases and stress?
Country: We look at the inflammatory system in the superior brain to understand how immune cells in their brain respond to disease and adapt to stress. Inflammation, when it transcends a certain threshold, is the main component of Alzheimer’s disease and almost all other neurodegenerative diseases cells.
Compared to peers of the same age, supergegers have less activated microglias living in immune brain cells in their white matter. White material is a super -brain highway that transports information from one part of the brain to another.
Here’s how it works: Microglia is activated because there is some antigen or disease, usually in the brain. However, in some cases, microglia and other immune cells become hyperactive and become overdrive, causing inflammation and potential damage.
However, the Superger’s brain has less activated microglias. In fact, the microglia level was equal to 30-40 and 50 people. This may indicate that the superior’s brain contains less spam or disease, so the microglie does not need to be active. Alternatively, it may mean that microglies are effective in reacting by clearing the disease or toxins, and since they are plastic and adapted, the microglia can activate, react and then calm down.
All of this is fascinating – it may be that at the cellular level of the Superger Brain Immune system may be stronger or more adaptive, much like the cell layers we have found in the entry bark.
CNN: Whether you were born with the right genes to protect your brain sounds like a draw. What does this mean for the future?
Country: Genetics is complicated. Not only is it whether you have a gene or not, how your inner and external environment works together to affect how the gene is “turned on” or expressed – some may be more expressed, some will have a lower expression. It is an epigenetic part of the puzzle.
There is a list of gene candidates that we start learning very carefully, that is, genes that also play a role in the aspects of longevity, aging, cell restoration and cognitive reserve.
I am pleased not only for the genetics that inherits the genetics of the parents, but also the cellular level of the genetics that allow each neuron or immune cell to do the appropriate work in the brain. With so fast technology, I am sure we will reach a point where prevention or modification at the genetic level will be part of the game book.
Of course, Alzheimer’s disease is not one target resolution. I know we all want that simple correction, but it just won’t happen.
It will take many teams and many professionals to come together and create a kind of individualized cocktail for prevention or treatment. I think it’s possible, but it will take time.
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