THE ESSENTIAL
- People over 80, the “super old,” have brain protein profiles similar to those of much younger people.
- The “super old” show very few tau protein tangles and beta-amyloid protein plaques, which cause cognitive decline.
Getting older does not necessarily mean having mental health problems. Some people watch the years pass without ever experiencing cognitive decline. German researchers have taken an interest in these “super old” and discovered genes that allow them to repel the accumulation of proteins in their brains. They presented their results on December 11, 2020 in the JAMA Network Open.
Brain protein profiles similar to young adults
The study involves 94 volunteers aged 80 and over. Using brain images, the researchers studied the amount of tau protein tangles and beta-amyloid protein plaques they found in their brains when these people underwent memory tests. An abnormal accumulation of tau and plaques is considered a warning sign of a thought disorder.
The study showed that the people who performed the best had similar brain protein profiles to younger, healthy people. Researchers found very little buildup of tangles and plaques. In contrast, those with lower scores showed more tangles than younger individuals. And finally, those who have been diagnosed with mildly impaired thinking skills have the greatest accumulation of tangles and plaques.
Rare genetic mutation prevents cognitive decline
“In simple terms, ‘super aging’ refers to exceptionally high cognitive functionality, even when you reach 80 or 90 years”, observed lead researcher Merle Hoenig. The researchers also reported, in the New York Times in November 2019, that a Colombian woman who was at high risk of developing early-stage Alzheimer’s disease due to an inherited genetic mutation, never suffered from it. When she died of cancer aged 77, she had only mild dementia, the first symptoms of which appeared six years earlier. It turned out that she also carried another rare genetic mutation. Although her accumulation of beta-amyloid plaque was very high, the second genetic mutation appeared to protect her from a buildup of tau tangles.
According to the researchers, the “super old” seem to benefit from a similar dynamic of protection. “In our study, we observed that super old people do not seem to accumulate proteins associated with aging such as tau and amyloid pathology, I explained Merle Hoenig. In contrast, normal older people had tau pathology, showing that this proteinopathy may be part of the normal aging process.”
Genetics and lifestyle are to blame
Is it possible to control brain proteins? Researchers believe a combination of lifestyle and genetic predisposition play a role. “More research needs to be done to investigate the effects of lifestyle choices“, continued the researcher. With regard to genetics, she noted the need “to explore the ‘molecular signature’ in the brains of people resistant to age-related protein accumulation. This could lead to the development of new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other diseases associated with aging.”