The finding of a new study that looks at the brain function in adults with sickle cell anaemia was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study has found that adults with sickle cell disease which is a genetic blood disorder are more prone to the risk of facing neurocognitive problems that affect their ability to cope with daily tasks.

As reported by the Los Angeles Times, this first of its kind study may lead to new drugs for the disorder.

Experts say that CSA is a genetic disorder that causes the red blood cells to assume a sickle shape. The effects of the condition become more severe with the increase in age, the report suggested.

The study conducted by Dr. Elliott Vichinsky of Children's Hospital & Research Centre in Oakland and his colleagues observed 149 adult SCA patients, the imaging for whom showed no significant impact on the brain.

The study concluded that, the SCA patients on an average were in the normal range, barring a third of them who scored significantly below normal levels, as compared with only 15 per cent of the healthy controls.

The results further established that the patients with the lowest scores were older and had the lowest levels of hemoglobin.

Following the research, Vichinsky is in the process of testing new therapies for the disorder. Possibility of blood transfusions every two to three months is being considered to determine whether they can reduce the disorder's effect on the brain.