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Older Adult Brains Can Grow Thousands of New Cells

A study suggests that people s thinking ability can remain intact as they age

Age doesn't slow the brain from continuing to generate new cells. Callista Images/Getty Images . It was the first attempt to look at newly formed neurons and blood vessels in the hippocampus soon after death, according to a Cell Press news release describing the work. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. "We found that older people have the similar ability to make thousands of hippocampal new neurons from progenitor cells as younger people do," lead author Maura Boldrini, M.D., an associate professor of neurobiology at Columbia University, said in the release. “We also found equivalent volumes of the hippocampus across ages.” The brains of the oldest individuals in the study had continued to make new neurons up until death, the researchers found. The older brains didn’t perform quite as well in other ways. They didn’t form as many blood vessels and had “maybe less ability of new neurons to make connections," Boldrini said. Nonetheless, Boldrini said, the findings about the brain's continued ability to make neurons may mean that many older people remain as they age than commonly believed. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS