Studying the 'supernatural'

US scientists are studying a group of people over 80 who own a brain immune to common memory impairments. People with such miraculous brain powers are called "seniors".

'We know when old age comes, people's cognitive skills decrease and the amount of substances in the brain changes ,' CNN quoted Emily Rogalski of Northwestern University.

There are intellectuals who remain lucid despite being over 80 years old (Photo: AFP)

However, there are people who are over 80 years old but their minds are still clear, even against the changes in memories when they are older.

Rogalski and colleagues say the top layer, called the cerebral cortex, where many of the brain's cells are concentrated, is still quite thick in these 'seniors '. This is also an important part of memory.

Experts have taken magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for 12 'seniors' and found their cortical thickness to be at least equal to 50 - 60s,

This "super-old" group will continue to be watched for a long time in the hope of discovering the secret that has helped them possess "sharp" brains despite their age.

This research has been published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.