Electrical brain activity in Centenarians: Neurophysiological EEG markers in resilient brain ageing

• Published in: Mechanisms of ageing and development Vol. 227; p. 112100
• Main Authors: Vecchio, Fabrizio, Pappalettera, Chiara, Cacciotti, Alessia, Frasca, Federico, Marcon, Gabriella, Rossini, Paolo Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.10.2025
• Subjects: Ageing; Centenarians; Electroencephalography (EEG); Power spectral density (PSD); Regression analysis; Electroencephalography (EEG); Regression analysis; Centenarians; Power spectral density (PSD); Ageing
• ISSN: 0047-6374; 1872-6216; 1872-6216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2025.112100

Centenarians are an increasing population, in particular in high income countries. Studying cognitively intact Centenarians’ brain becomes fundamental to understand physiological ageing and how it diverges from pathological one. Resting state EEG were recorded using 27 channels in more than 130 subjects (referred to Young, Adults, Elderly, Centenarians and Alzheimer Disease patients), and the power spectral density (PSD) was computed. The paper demonstrates that Centenarians electrical brain activity is more similar to Elderly’s than expected, despite approximately 30 years of age gap, provided they are cognitively intact. Centenarians EEG signal was expected to progressively approach AD one, but surprisingly they seem to slow-down their ageing and maintain non-pathological and resilient EEG patterns, particularly in Alpha bands: occipital region Centenarians PSD has lower values than Young and Adults but not than Elderly, and higher values than AD. These interesting results suggests that Centenarians brain needs to be investigated to extrapolate its characteristics and try to replicate its mechanisms for a widespread healthy ageing. •Centenarians show EEG more similar to elderly than to adults or AD patients, despite a ∼30-year age gap.•PSD analysis revealed higher Delta, Theta, Beta power in centenarians, across frontal, central, temporal, occipital regions.•Alpha activity in centenarians is higher than in AD patients, indicating preserved neural function and cognitive resilience.•Regression analysis shows centenarians deviate from expected decline, suggesting healthy ageing processes.•The study calls for longitudinal research to clarify centenarians’ unique brain profile and its role in healthy ageing.