Super-agers: discover if you’re one and how science explains it
Have you ever heard of “super-agers”?
A super-ager is someone who maintains cognitive abilities and memory well into old age, sometimes matching or surpassing those of much younger adults.
These people have brains that appear biologically younger than their chronological age, showing remarkable resilience against age-related decline.
The term “super-ager” has gained attention over the past 20 years as scientists studied why some seniors stay mentally sharp while others experience significant cognitive decline.
What does it take to become a super-ager?
Research identifies several key factors behind these exceptional minds:
- Healthy lifestyle: super-agers often stay physically active, eat balanced diets, like the Mediterranean diet, and avoid harmful habits such as smoking or excessive alcohol. Regular exercise, especially aerobic, for example, is strongly linked to preserved cognition.
- Social engagement: staying socially active and mentally stimulated through activities like reading, games, and learning new skills helps protect the brain from decline.
- Genetic factors: while genetics alone can’t fully explain super-aging, certain gene variants have been linked to increased resilience against cognitive decline, offering some individuals a natural advantage in maintaining brain health.
- Brain health: super-agers’ brains exhibit significantly less age-related deterioration, including reduced shrinkage and fewer amyloid plaques and tau tangles, key markers associated with Alzheimer’s disease; highlighting their exceptional neurological preservation.
A lanndmark study from the Northwestern University SuperAging Program (Weintraub et al., 2025) found that super-agers aged 80 and older have prefrontal cortex and hippocampus volumes comparable to adults 20 to 30 years younger.
These individuals not only maintain superior memory and attention but also show distinctive brain features such as a thicker anterior cingulate cortex, fewer Alzheimer’s-related cellular changes, and greater neuronal preservation.
Types of super-agers
Super-agers excel not just in one area, but across three critical domains: cognitive performance, physical health, and social engagement. These pillars interact to support exceptional aging and resilience.
Cognitive super-agers
Research led by Dr. Bradford Dickerson at Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrates that older adults who actively engage their minds and embrace challenges maintain better brain function and thicker cortical regions related to memory and attention.
These individuals don’t necessarily have higher IQs or advanced education; rather, their mindset makes the difference, they see challenges as growth opportunities, not barriers.
Dr. Lisa Barrett further highlights that their willingness to persist through discomfort to learn new skills, such as playing instruments or mastering new languages, stimulates neuroplasticity and preserves cognitive vitality.
Physical super-agers
Physical fitness is equally critical. According to Dr. J. Andrew Taylor, maintaining vigorous aerobic exercise for 20 to 45 minutes daily helps preserve aerobic capacity and lowers risks for cardiovascular disease and dementia.
Recent studies show that seniors with high aerobic capacity often have biological ages decades younger than their chronological age.
Norwegian researchers have even developed validated questionnaires to estimate biological age based on fitness levels, providing accessible tools to assess physical aging.
Socially engaged super-agers
Social engagement is the often overlooked, yet vital, third pillar. Numerous studies confirm that strong social networks and meaningful interactions significantly reduce the risk of cognitive decline and depression.
Loneliness and social isolation are among the most powerful predictors of accelerated cognitive aging.
Super-agers maintain active social lives through clubs, volunteering, family connections, and group activities that also provide mental stimulation and emotional support.
What science reveals and the future of super-aging
Recent research consolidates what super-agers already prove: staying mentally active can reduce dementia risk by up to 30% (Neurology, 2022), and following a Mediterranean diet cuts cognitive decline risk by as much as 40%. Quality sleep, between 7 and 8 hours nightly; is also essential, while social isolation remains one of the strongest predictors of cognitive decline.
Looking ahead, the global population over 65 is expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2050 (UN), making it urgent to promote strategies that foster healthy brain aging. Technologies such as neurofeedback and transcranial magnetic stimulation show promise in enhancing cognitive function but are still experimental.
How to start your journey to becoming a super-ager today
Becoming a super-ager is less about luck and more about conscious choices. Start by:
- Exercising at least 150 minutes weekly, focusing on both aerobic and strength training.
- Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet rich in antioxidants and healthy fats.
- Continuously challenging your brain with new skills, learning, and problem-solving.
- Cultivating and maintaining strong social connections to stay mentally and emotionally engaged.
- Prioritizing regular, quality sleep every night.
Your brain’s future depends on the actions you take today. The science is clear: super-aging is possible and it starts with your lifestyle!
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