Memory reserve and memory maintenance in SuperAgers

Aim: Memory SuperAgers (SAs) are adults aged 80+ years whose episodic memory is as good as that of sexagenarians. The aim was to determine whether SAs are people with a higher memory reserve or more stable memory maintenance. Sample and method: We analyzed cognitive performance of 46 cognitively healthy older adults over 6 years, measuring them at three time points (T1, T2 and T3). All participants were aged 80+ years and had normal cognitive performance at T3. SAs were defined as persons whose Long Delayed Free Recall score of Philadelphia Verbal Learning Test (LDFR-PVLT) was >= nine words (the mean for healthy age group 60-64 years) at T3. Logical memory II (LM II-delayed recall) and PVLT sum of trial 1-5 were compared between and within the groups. Results: In our sample, we found 20 SAs (16 females) and 26 non-SAs (11 females) at T3, meaning more SAs were female than male. At T3, there were no significant differences between the two groups in age, education, or depressive symptoms. At T1, SAs performed significantly better on PVLT 1-5 but not in LM II; their cognitive reserve was thus higher for verbal learning but not for logical memory in non-SAs. Over time, SAs showed improvement in PVLT 1-5 but not in logical memory. Conclusion: We suggest that both memory reserve and memory maintenance play a role in SuperAging. The differences between SAs and non-SAs were more in verbal learning than in logical memory. Our data suggest that women SuperAge more frequently than men do.