(HealthDay)—Some older folks are still sharp as tacks and dementia-free well into their 80s and beyond. Now German researchers have uncovered a possible reason why: Their genes may help them fend off protein build-up in the brain.
The finding is based on a study of brain images of 94 participants, all aged 80 or older. They were characterized by the amount of tau protein tangles and beta-amyloid protein plaques found in their brains.
Those who scored highest on memory tests—so-called ‘super agers’—had brain protein profiles similar to those of healthy folks who were much younger. In other words, they had very little build-up of tangles and plaques.
But those who were aging normally and…
