|
Woman
Mentally Sharp Even at 115 Years Old
 A
Dutch woman who died recently at the age of 115 years old had a mind
as mentally sharp as a much younger person until the day that she
died, according to a new study. The study found that she had
almost no evidence of Alzheimer’s disease, and concluded that
Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are not necessarily inevitable
as some had suspected.
Gert Holstege, a neuroscientist at the University Medical Center
Groningen, in the Netherlands and lead researcher stated “Our
observations suggest that, in contrast to general belief, the limits
of human cognitive function may extend far beyond the range that is
currently enjoyed by most individuals.” The results of the study were
published in the August issue of the journal Neurobiology of Aging.
The Dutch woman made arrangements to donate her body to science after
her death when she was 82 years old, and later contacted Holstege when
she reached the age of 111, concerned that her body may be too old to
be useful for teaching purposes or scientific investigation. She was
reassured by the neuroscientists that contrary to her belief, they
were very interested in her due to her age.
Holstege and his associates wrote in the journal article, “She was
very enthusiastic about her being important for science.”
Psychological and neurological examination were performed when she was
112 and 113 years old, and the results were essentially normal, with
no signs of dementia or other cognitive problems. Her actual mental
performance was above average for adults aged 60 to 75 years old.
Her body was then donated to science when she died at the age of 115
years old. Holstege and his associates found no signs of
atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) and very few other brain
abnormalities. Interestingly enough, the amount of brain cells was
similar to that of what usually is expected in healthy people between
the age of 60 and 80 years old.
There was little or no evidence of Alzheimer’s disease.
Neuroscientists found almost no beta-amyloid deposits, which are
characteristic of individuals with Alzheimer’s. There were also very
few “neurofibrillary tangles” which could have caused a significant
level of mental impairment.
Currently in the United States, there are approximately 80,000
centenarians (100 years of age or older) according to the Census
Bureau. This number is expected to rise to more than 580,000
centenarians by the year 2040.
According to a recent study of a man who lived to the age of 114, it
was found that a combination of lifestyle and genes may play a role in
longevity, although the recipe for a long life is not clearly
identified at this point in time. However, as the number of people
living beyond the age of 100 is steadily on the increase, researchers
now say that the deterioration of the brain is not an inevitable
aspect of aging.
Picture Credit
http://l.yimg.com/a/i/ww/news/2008/06/09/oldest_person_lg.jpg
Adapted from LiveScience article 155-year-old
Woman’s Brain in Tip-Top Shape posted June 9, 2008
Additional Information and
webpage by Paul Susic MA Licensed
Psychologist Ph.D. Candidate
|
