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115-year-old Woman's Brain in Tip-Top Shape

LiveScience Staff

LiveScience.comMon Jun 9, 11:46 AM ET

A Dutch woman who reached 115 years of age and remained mentally sharp

throughout life also had a healthy brain when she died, a new study finds.

The woman's brain showed almost no evidence of Alzheimer's disease. The finding

suggests Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia are not inevitable, as

had been suspected.

" 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, " said lead researcher Gert Holstege, a

neuroscientist at the University Medical Center Groningen, in The Netherlands.

The results are detailed in the August issue of the journal Neurobiology of

Aging.

At age 82, the Dutch woman made arrangements to donate her body to science after

death. She contacted Holstege when she reached age 111, worried that her body

was too old to be useful for research or teaching purposes. The neuroscientists

reassured her that, contrary to her belief, they were particularly interested

due to her age. 

" She was very enthusiastic about her being important for science, " Holstege and

his colleagues write in the journal article.

Neurological and psychological examinations were performed when the centenarian

was 112 and 113 years old. The results were essentially normal, with no signs of

dementia or problems with memory or attention. Her mental performance was above

average for adults aged 60 to 75.

When the woman died at age 115, her body was donated to science. Holstege's team

found no signs of narrowing of the arteries, called atherosclerosis, and very

few brain abnormalities. In fact, the number of brain cells was similar to that

expected in healthy people between 60 and 80 years old.

The woman's brain showed little or no evidence of Alzheimer's disease. The

neuroscientists found almost no deposits of so-called beta-amyloid, which are

characteristic in Alzheimer's brains. The other abnormalities present, including

" neurofibrillary tangles, " were very mild, and would not have caused significant

mental impairment.

Currently, there are more than 80,000 Americans 100 years of age or older,

according to the U.S. Census Bureau.. That number is expected to rise to more

than 580,000 centenarians by 2040..

A recent study of a man who lived to age 114 found a combination of genes

and lifestyle play a role in longevity, though the long-life recipe is far from

clear. 

As the number of people living to age 100 and beyond continues to increase, the

researchers say, deterioration of the brain is not inevitable.

Video: Why We Age Special Report: Toward Immortality Top 10 Immortals Original

Story: 115-year-old Woman's Brain in Tip-Top Shape

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