As elderly people grow old, they often become both feeble and forgetful, but some elderly folk exhibit quite the opposite effect altogether, keeping their memories and staying just as spontaneous as younger people.
The phenomenon is highly misunderstood, but neurologists are looking at the brains of these so-called 'super-agers' to learn more about them.
Interestingly, they found that in super-agers, the brains don't shrink as expected, and rather than parts of the brain becoming thinner, they actually can grow larger and become thicker. Moreover, super-agers have anywhere from 3-5x the amount of von Economo neurons than a typical elderly person would, which helps in their information processing.
Not enough research exists today to understand why this is the case, or what causes it, but one theory is that it's a result of genetics or our chemical makeup. Nevertheless, keeping a healthy lifestyle and staying focused may help to condition the brain so that it stays in good shape as you grow old.
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APR 25, 2017