Research on SuperAgers has identified two neurobiological mechanisms linked to preserved memory in advanced age — 'resistance' (absence or low accumulation of amyloid and tau protein plaques/tangles) and 'resilience' (presence of amyloid and tau without evident cognitive impairment) — and has associated SuperAgers with reduced cortical thinning, a thicker anterior cingulate cortex, greater numbers of von Economo neurons, and larger entorhinal neurons.
high
neuroscience
Neurobiological features and proposed mechanisms underlying preserved memory in very old adults labeled as SuperAgers.
Amyloid-beta and tau are proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease, and elevated levels of these proteins can indicate early stages of Alzheimer's before clinical memory problems appear.
high
descriptive
Neuropathological markers used to identify early Alzheimer's-related brain changes.
Amyloid proteins aggregate into extracellular plaques and tau proteins form intracellular tangles, and the combined presence of amyloid plaques and tau tangles disrupts neuronal communication and is associated with memory loss and cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.
high
biological
General neuropathology underlying Alzheimer's disease symptoms