SuperAgers’ Brains: Study Reveals Key to Resilience Against Cognitive Decline

People with remarkably well-preserved memories in their 80s and 90s – often referred to as “SuperAgers” – demonstrate a surprising capacity for brain regeneration, producing twice the number of new neurons compared to cognitively healthy adults and 2.5 times more than individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published February 25, 2026.

This finding, described by study co-author Dr. Tamar Gefen, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Mesulam Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, is significant because it challenges the long-held assumption that the aging brain’s ability to regenerate is severely limited. “This shows the aging brain has the capacity to regenerate – that’s huge,” Dr. Gefen stated.

The study highlights the importance of neurogenesis – the birth and survival of new neurons – in maintaining brain plasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and repair itself. While mature neurons are relatively stable, younger neurons are far more adaptable, possessing an enhanced capacity to grow, integrate, and form connections within the brain. Researchers at the Northwestern SuperAging Program have been studying these exceptional individuals for 25 years.

“SuperAgers are showing the preservation of immature neurons with heightened excitability – they are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to fire,” Dr. Gefen explained. “That is a more youthful brain.” This preservation isn’t simply a matter of maintaining existing neurons; SuperAgers exhibit a robust system within the hippocampus – the brain region crucial for memory – that actively nurtures these new neurons, much like providing a young plant with nutrient-rich soil.

The research demonstrates that SuperAgers possess a unique cellular environment in their hippocampus that actively supports neurogenesis. “This represents biological proof SuperAgers have more plastic brains,” Dr. Gefen emphasized.

Interestingly, the brains of SuperAgers contained more newly developed neurons than those of younger adults in their 30s and 40s, according to senior author Orly Lazarov, a professor of neuroscience and director of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Training Program at the University of Illinois, Chicago. “The profile of neurogenesis in the SuperAgers shows resilience,” Lazarov said. “So they are able to cope with the ravages of time.”

While genetic predisposition may play a role, research suggests that proactive brain health practices can also contribute to cognitive preservation. Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Florida, who was not involved in the study, noted that individuals who prioritize brain health may be able to mitigate cognitive decline. “SuperAgers may have a genetic advantage, but research shows that people who practice good brain health may also prevent cognitive decline,” he said.

Dr. Isaacson pointed to studies demonstrating that lifestyle modifications – including a healthy diet, regular exercise, stress reduction, optimized sleep, and management of vascular risk factors – can promote growth in brain areas like the hippocampus and reduce indicators of Alzheimer’s disease, such as tau tangles and amyloid plaques. “I was certainly never taught in medical school that it’s possible for brain cells to grow, but we’ve now seen compelling evidence of this on serial MRI scans in people who continually make brain-healthy choices,” he added.

Defining a “SuperAger” requires rigorous cognitive testing to assess the limits of an individual’s ability to recall information, according to Emily Rogalski, a professor of neurology at the University of Chicago, who helped develop the SuperAger program at Northwestern. “SuperAgers are required to have outstanding episodic memory — the ability to recall everyday events and past personal experiences,” she said. “It’s important to point out when we compare the SuperAgers to the average agers, they have similar levels of IQ, so the differences we’re seeing are not just due to intelligence.”

Beyond exceptional memory, SuperAgers often share common traits. They tend to maintain a positive outlook and actively engage their brains through activities like reading and lifelong learning. Many remain physically active and continue working well into their 80s, and they typically enjoy strong social connections through family, friends, and community involvement.

However, it’s important to note that SuperAgers aren’t necessarily defined by a perfect health record. “We have SuperAgers with heart disease, diabetes, who aren’t physically active, who don’t eat any better than their similar-age peers,” Dr. Gefen said. “Still, it’s what we’ve found in the brains donated by SuperAgers that is most telling.”

Analysis of brain tissue revealed that the cingulate cortex, responsible for attention, motivation, and cognitive engagement, is thicker in SuperAgers compared to individuals in their 50s and 60s. The hippocampus of SuperAgers contained three times fewer tau tangles, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Another study found that SuperAgers possess remarkably large and healthy neurons in the entorhinal cortex, one of the first brain regions affected by Alzheimer’s.

“It was an incredible finding, because their entorhinal neurons were even larger than those in individuals who are much younger, some even in their 30s,” Dr. Gefen said. “That told us there is a structural integrity component at play — like the architecture, the bones, the skeleton of the neuron itself is sturdier.”

The new study, published in the journal Nature, sheds light on the mechanisms underlying this resilience. The research team utilized a technique called multiomic single-cell sequencing to analyze the birth of new neurons in brain tissue from SuperAgers, healthy young adults, older adults with no cognitive decline, older adults with early dementia, and those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This allowed them to identify the specific brain cells that support memory and cognition as the hippocampus ages.

The results highlighted the crucial roles of astrocytes and CA1 neurons. CA1 neurons are essential for memory consolidation and retrieval, and are among the first brain cells attacked by tau in Alzheimer’s disease. Astrocytes, which vastly outnumber neurons, regulate blood flow to the brain and promote the formation of synapses – the junctions where nerve signals pass between neurons, forming the foundation of brain function, learning, and memory.

“In SuperAgers, astrocytes and CA1 neurons are supporting the hippocampus in ways that we didn’t understand before, by boosting synapse signaling between neurons,” Dr. Gefen said. “Immature neurons, CA1 circuits and astrocytes are all coordinating in a very, very enriched environment.”