Study of Former World’s Oldest Woman Proves Dementia
Not Inevitable with Aging
Woman, 115, had normal brain and remained mentally
alert throughout life
The subject of this study is
presumed to be Hendrikje "Henny" van Andel-Schipper, who died
Aug. 30, 2005. Read more about her at Wikipedia,
click here.
June 9, 2008 – The theory that proposes dementia is
an inevitable result of a long life was refuted by a reality test
reported in the August issue of Neurobiology of Aging. Researchers that
interviewed the world’s oldest living person and examined her brain
after death have found she had a normal brain with little or no evidence
of Alzheimer’s disease, and say she remained mentally alert throughout
her life.
"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, and that
improvements in preventing brain disorders of aging may yield
substantial long-term benefits," according to a study led by Prof. dr.
Gert Holstege of University Medical Centre Groningen, The Netherlands.
The findings in the study of the 115-year-old woman
question the assumption that Alzheimer's disease or other forms of
dementia will inevitably develop, if people live long enough.
Dr. Holstege and colleagues had a unique chance to
test the mental functioning of one of the world's oldest humans, and
then to compare their findings with the condition of the subject's brain
after death.
The patient was a Dutch woman who, at age 82, made
arrangements to donate her body to science after death. At age 111, she
contacted the researchers to ask whether her body would still be useful
for research or teaching purposes. They assured her that, contrary to
what she thought, they were especially interested because of her age:
"She was very enthusiastic about her being
important for science," Dr. Gert Holstege and colleagues write.
The researchers found the patient to be "an alert
and assertive lady, full of interest in the world around her, including
national and international politics and sports." She had lived
independently until moving to a residential care home at age 105, mainly
because of poor eyesight. Ironically, she had been very small at birth
and was not expected to survive.
A series of neurological and psychological
examinations were performed when the patient was 112 and 113 years old.
The results were essentially normal, with no signs of dementia or
problems with memory or attention. In general, her mental performance
was above average for adults aged 60 to 75.
As planned, her body was donated to science when
she died at age 115. At the time, she was the world's oldest woman.
Examination after death found almost no evidence of atherosclerosis
(narrowing of the arteries) anywhere in her body. The brain also showed
very few abnormalities—the number of brain cells was similar to that
expected in healthy people between 60 and 80 years old.
A key finding was the absence of brain
abnormalities typical of Alzheimer's disease. There were almost no
deposits of a substance called beta-amyloid, which are characteristic of
Alzheimer's patients. The other abnormalities present, including "neurofibrillary
tangles," were very mild—too early to cause significant mental
impairment.
The unique case lends new insights into the
potential for preserving brain function in very elderly patients.
Previous studies have found at least mild abnormalities in the brains of
nearly all "cognitively normal" elderly people. As the number of people
living to age 100 and beyond continues to increase, the findings suggest
that deterioration of the brain is not inevitable.
The magazine publishes the results of studies in
behavior, biochemistry, cell biology, endocrinology, molecular biology,
morphology, neurology, neuropathology, pharmacology, physiology and
protein chemistry in which the primary emphasis involves mechanisms of
nervous system changes with age or diseases associated with age.
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