Instruments for the assessment of SuperAgers: A systematic review

Abstract

Age-related cortical atrophy and cognitive decline, especially in memory function, are common among older adults. However, a subset of older adults, known as SuperAgers (SA), exhibit exceptional resilience to these effects, displaying an episodic memory capacity equivalent to or exceeding that of individuals 20 to 30 years their junior. Despite this phenomenon, there is no consensus among researchers regarding the most appropriate instruments and criteria for classifying SuperAgers. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to determine which instruments and classification criteria are most frequently utilized. Our search of PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO yielded results suggesting that SuperAgers are generally defined as individuals aged 80 years or older, with anterograde memory tests based on fixed cut-off values for word list recall, as well as executive functioning tests, serving as the primary classification tools. Given the influence of sociocultural and linguistic factors, as well as differences in the choice of memory tests, it is not recommended to establish a single cut-point in global SA studies.

Keywords

• Aging
• SuperAgers
• Health of the elderly
• Neuropsychological tests
• Human development