Overview
- The team profiled nearly 356,000 hippocampal cells from five donor groups using multiomic single‑cell methods to map neurogenesis across the lifespan.
- SuperAgers showed about twice as many immature neurons as cognitively typical older adults and roughly 2.5 times as many as people with Alzheimer’s disease, in some cases exceeding counts seen in younger adults.
- The data indicate a supportive hippocampal environment in SuperAgers, with astrocytes and CA1 neurons enhancing synaptic signaling alongside active gene‑regulatory and epigenetic programs.
- Alzheimer’s brains contained more stem‑cell–like cells but far fewer neuroblasts and immature neurons, pointing to a disruption in maturation rather than a simple loss of stem cells.
- The findings strengthen evidence for adult human neurogenesis yet do not change clinical practice, with authors calling for larger, longitudinal studies before exploring therapeutic targets.