Older adults classified as “SuperAgers” generate at least twice as many neurons in the hippocampus than their typical aging peers, a new study has revealed.

These findings, released on Wednesday by the University of Illinois Chicago and Northwestern University, could help explain why SuperAgers have exceptional memory and cognitive resilience even well past 80 years old.

Northwestern has been studying SuperAgers for decades, defining them as “extraordinary individuals aged 80 and above whose memory performance rivals that of people three decades younger.” The researchers use special memory recall tests to make this determination.

In this study, they analyzed post-mortem brain tissue — nearly 356,000 individual cell nuclei — with a focus on the hippocampus, which is essential for forming new memories and supporting learning and spatial navigation.

They compared tissue from SuperAgers, typical older adults, older adults with early dementia/Alzheimer’s and younger healthy adults.

The researchers found that SuperAgers produced at least twice as many new neurons compared to “cognitively normal” older adults and those with Alzheimer’s pathology.

They also found that changes in certain brain support cells (astrocytes) and key memory cells (CA1 neurons) are linked to preserved cognitive ability, helping to keep the brain sharp with age.

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The SuperAgers also had different genetic activity patterns in their brains compared to those in Alzheimer’s disease. 

“SuperAgers have more immature neurons and neuroblasts in the hippocampus, which is an indication of stronger neurogenesis when compared with other groups,” study co-author Changiz Geula, research professor of cell and developmental biology and neuroscience at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital.

“The study also showed that specific cells in the hippocampus show unique gene expression profiles that relate to neuronal function and transmission and are associated with superior cognitive function.”

The findings were published in the journal Nature.

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“We’ve always said that SuperAgers show that the aging brain can be biologically active, adaptable and flexible, but we didn’t know why,” said co-author Tamar Gefen, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a neuropsychologist at Northwestern’s Mesulam Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease, in the release. 

“This is biological proof that their brains are more plastic, and a real discovery that shows that neurogenesis of young neurons in the hippocampus may be a contributing factor.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, commented that the study discovered signs of plasticity and regeneration in SuperAgers.

“It confirmed not only preservation of brain tissue in the hippocampus, which is crucial for memory and cognition, but also regeneration and increased development of brain cells in that area,” Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

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“This is an important study because it may lead to certain cell gene treatments that could lead to more SuperAgers,” the doctor said. “It may also lead to more advanced testing to determine who will be a SuperAger and guide clinical treatment and management.”

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The study did have some limitations, primarily that the research relied on tissue samples taken at one specific point, instead of tracking changes over time.

Geula noted that studies using human brain tissue typically involve fewer cases than animal research, which can be a limitation. However, he emphasized that each case in this study was analyzed thoroughly.

“While these findings are not directly translatable to changes in everyday life and activities, they suggest that cognitive resilience is associated with greater integrity of many brain systems,” he told Fox News Digital. “This implies that attending to brain health is crucial for maintaining cognitive function in old age.”

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“Thus, maintaining good overall health by keeping systemic diseases in check, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise, and ensuring the elderly remain mentally active assume more importance.”

The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging, which is part of the National Institutes of Health.

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Olive oil has long been shown to benefit heart health, but a new Spanish study from Universitat Rovira i Virgili revealed that extra virgin olive oil may also protect brain health.

The study found that people who consumed virgin olive oil — rather than refined olive oil — had improved cognitive function and greater diversity in the gut biome, which the researchers claim is an “important marker of intestinal and metabolic health.”

“This is the first prospective study in humans to specifically analyze the role of olive oil in the interaction between gut microbiota and cognitive function,” lead study author Jiaqi Ni, researcher at the URV’s Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology in Spain, said in a press release.

The study used two years of data from more than 600 people between the ages of 55 and 75 who were overweight or obese and had metabolic syndrome, factors that increase the risk of heart disease.

The researchers tracked the participants’ consumption of both refined and virgin olive oil, as well as their gut microbiota (the entire collection of living microorganisms in the human gut).

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The findings suggest that the uptick in diverse gut bacteria is the reason that people consuming virgin olive oil have improved brain health, according to the researchers. Those who consumed refined olive oil had less diversity in their gut over time.

“Not all olive oils have benefits for cognitive function.”

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The main difference between refined and virgin olive oils is how they are processed, the researchers said.

Refined olive oil undergoes industrial treatments to remove impurities. These treatments degrade the oil, stripping it of the natural antioxidants and vitamins that are beneficial to human health.

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The team also did a follow-up to identify any changes in participants’ cognitive function. Those who consumed extra virgin olive oil showed improved memory, attention and executive function over two years.

Refined olive oil did not show the same cognitive benefits. 

“Not all olive oils have benefits for cognitive function,” Ni noted.

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This research reinforces the idea that the quality of fat people consume is as important as the quantity, according to Jordi Salas-Salvadó, principal investigator of the study.

“Extra virgin olive oil not only protects the heart but can also help preserve the brain during aging,” he said in the press release.

Because this was an observational study focused on older Mediterranean adults with specific health risks, the findings may not apply to the public, and the study does not prove that olive oil alone caused the cognitive changes. 

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The researchers noted that factors like smoking and lower education levels were more common among those using refined oil, which could skew results despite their best efforts to adjust the data. 

Additionally, the study relied on self-reported diets, which could have some risk of inaccuracies.

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The study was published in the journal Microbiome.

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