(Nature) – Researchers have identified 64 genes that help to shape how quickly a person’s brain ages, in one of the largest attempts to pinpoint genetic factors that influence the organ’s decline.

The study, published in Science Advances on 12 March, also pinpointed 13 potential drugs that have already been explored in clinical trials for their anti-ageing effects and that could be used to target these genes.

“The findings are significant because they could pave the way for new treatments to keep the brain healthier longer,” says Agustín Ibáñez, a neuroscientist at Trinity College Dublin. “But much more research is needed before these findings can be applied in practice.” (Read More)