Scientists expected one Alzheimer’s advantage in SuperAgers. They were wrong - Newsweek

What the report says

Newsweek reported on a new study examining why some “SuperAgers” retain unusually strong memory into their 80s and 90s. The research, led by teams at the Healthy Aging & Alzheimer’s Research Care Center at the University of Chicago and the Translational Genomics Research Institute, found that these older adults did not appear to have a clear inherited advantage in common Alzheimer’s-related genetic risk compared with peers who had typical memory for their age.

According to Newsweek, the study included 231 adults age 80 or older: 142 classified as SuperAgers and 89 healthy controls. Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider told the outlet that researchers reviewed APOE, a gene strongly associated with Alzheimer’s risk, as well as three broader genetic risk scores. The rates of Alzheimer’s-linked APOE variants were similar across the groups, and the risk scores did not identify who had exceptional memory. Researchers also examined ancestry and rare protective variants, again finding no meaningful distinction.

The findings, published in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, suggest that avoiding inherited Alzheimer’s risk is not enough to explain unusually youthful memory in later life. Study co-first author Ana Capuano said in a statement that preserving cognition likely involves biological, behavioral and social factors beyond disease-risk reduction. Newsweek also noted related research pointing to possible roles for brain structure, tau protein levels, exercise, education, mental stimulation and social connection.

The report emphasized limitations: the sample was relatively small for genetic research, participants were assessed at one point in time, and the study did not account for lifestyle, vascular health or other behavioral factors. Researchers plan broader work using cognitive testing, brain imaging, biomarkers, genetics, immune profiling, sleep tracking and social measures to better understand resilience in aging.