Neurologist says older brains are outperforming younger ones and it comes down to one daily habit
According to the neurologist, these people are described by the medical term 'superagers.'
Ever wondered why people, especially individuals in their 80s and 90s, possess good memory power? On the contrary, young adults are often criticized for their lack of recollection, information slipping through their busy minds. While many have attributed this trait to diet and exercise, Dr. Bing (@dr.bing), a neurologist, shared one phenomenon that explains why these older individuals have the sharpest brains. Sharing the secret to this discovery, the neurologist also sheds light on the importance of being actively social.
Neurologist Dr. Bing revealed that most oldies in their 80s and 90s are known for their sharp memories, and they all have one thing in common. In the medical world, they're described as "superagers." The doctor shared that this term is specially used for elderly people because of their ability to think and remember things better than individuals in their 30s and 40s. "As a neurologist, I sometimes see superagers in my clinic, and while exercising and having a good diet can be important, one thing that they have in common is they stay social," the neurologist explained. Describing social interaction as "a full body workout" for the brain, Dr. Bing emphasizes the importance of social interaction to activate memory and language in one's brain. Additionally, engaging in deep conversations with someone from one's community helps in lowering cortisol levels and instead boosts oxytocin and dopamine levels. Instead of engaging your brain by playing Crosswords and Sudoku, the neurologist urges people to connect with friends and socialize to keep their brains thriving.
A study led by Ruixue Zhaoyang in 2021 analyzed adults between the ages of 70 and 90 and found that frequent social interactions were associated with better brain performance. The study led by Ruixue Zhaoyang said, "Our study is one of the first to show that whether you have social interactions on one day can immediately affect your cognitive performance that same day and also on the following days." Zhaoyang's study tracked cell phone data of 312 older individuals for 16 days. They were each prompted 5 times a day to interact with their friends, and the study found that those who complied tested better in the ensuing cognitive exams. In addition, it was also found that Alzheimer's and other dementias rose by 16% during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting the crucial nature of social interactions. According to the doctor, many researchers have found that superagers have a thicker corner in their brains called the 'Anterior Cingulate Cortex' — a hub integrating emotion with cognition, aiding error detection, pain processing, attention, and conflict monitoring. This signals that these processes have been in constant exercise, keeping their brain alert even at an old age.
Soon after the video gained traction, many users expressed their views. @expattoimmigrant wrote, "This is my mother. She's 84. Planning yet another vacay - this time back to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan with a friend. She's never home! I love it!" @que_sera_sura commented, "Dr. Bing, I wish you a long, healthy life! Thank you for sharing!" @aannaabananananaa_ shared, "I'm in my 30's and avoid social interaction. Guess I will not be a super ager."
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