Seven genes linked to brain aging identified, drugs found

A new study in Science Advances has identified seven genes linked to rapid brain aging and 13 existing drugs that may target these genes. Researchers used deep learning models on MRI data from nearly 39,000 UK Biobank participants. The study highlights the importance of the brain age gap, which measures the difference between biological and chronological brain age. A larger gap is associated with cognitive decline and brain disorders. The identified drugs, including hydrocortisone and metformin, could be repurposed to slow brain aging. Further research is needed to confirm these findings across diverse populations.