Research by a group of Seattle scientists may help doctors and drug companies target specific brain cells to help people keep their minds sharp as they age.

Researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science say their analysis, using a new kind of brain-mapping technology, has uncovered which cell types may be the most sensitive to aging. That understanding could help with the development of new treatments to preserve brain function and prevent Alzheimer's and other chronic diseases as people get older.

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Their research, published in latest issue of the journal Nature, found that a small group of hormone-producing cells undergo more age-related changes than others.

"Aging is the most important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and many other devastating brain disorders. These results provide a highly detailed map for which brain cells may be most affected by aging," said Dr. Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health, which funded the research. "This new map may fundamentally alter the way scientists think about how aging affects the brain and also provide a guide for developing new treatments for aging-related brain diseases."