Superagers resist an age-related anteroposterior shift in intrinsic connectivity

Superagers resist an age-related anteroposterior shift in intrinsic connectivity | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Superagers resist an age-related anteroposterior shift in intrinsic connectivity Bryan Strange, Qumars Behfar, Marta Garo-Pascual, Linda Zhang, and 5 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6823169/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Superagers are exceptional older individuals with episodic memory ability comparable to healthy adults 30 years younger. Their phenotyping offers novel insights into protective factors against age-related memory loss and dementia. By measuring brain functional connectivity using rs-fMRI in a large sample of superagers over 80y and typical older adults, cross-sectionally and longitudinally, here we show a macroscopic anteroposterior gradient in typical older adults, with reduced anterior and increased posterior degree centrality relative to superagers. In stark contrast, superagers showed a flat anteroposterior degree centrality gradient, also observed in young adults aged 20-30y. The similar connectivity pattern between superagers and young adults, distinct from typical older adults, supports resistance to age-related functional connectivity changes in superagers. Longitudinal analyses revealed that the superagers’ anteroposterior pattern was evident at 75y, whereas brain structural differences only appear to begin from age 75y. Our results indicate that preserved frontal functional connectivity, with later structural advantages, underlie superagers’ maintained episodic memory capabilities. Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive ageing Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Neural ageing Biological sciences/Neuroscience/Learning and memory/Working memory Health sciences/Anatomy/Nervous system/Brain fMRI Functional connectivity Graph theory Brain resistance Healthy aging Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files BehfarGaroPascualetalNatureCommunicationsSM.pdf Supplementary Materials reportingsummary.pdf Reporting Summary Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6823169","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":483454024,"identity":"3fb5df7b-d8ec-426f-9f6f-f6043baea5dd","order_by":0,"name":"Bryan 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