New Haven, Conn.-based Yale researchers are studying whether GLP-1 drugs may extend beyond diabetes and obesity treatment to address addiction, NBC Connecticut reported March 27.
Rajita Sinha, PhD, director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center, studied semaglutide in people with obesity and found patients reported reduced interest in alcohol and smoking, pointing to changes in brain pathways tied to motivation and addiction.
“We think what’s happening in the brain is that GLP-1 is influencing these motivational circuits that are dysregulated in addiction and with chronic alcohol use, but also with compulsive food intake,” Dr. Sinha said in the report.
A study published in BJM analyzed patient records from more than 600,000 individuals in a Department of Veterans Affairs database. Researchers simulated eight clinical trials total and found using GLP-1 drugs were associated with fewer emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths among people with substance use disorders.
Wajahat Mehal, MD, director of the Yale Fatty Liver Disease Program, conducted preclinical research showing mice given GLP-1 drugs consumed less alcohol and experienced less liver injury, even when alcohol intake remained the same.
Researchers said further testing is needed to confirm the findings in humans and determine how broadly the drugs may be effective.
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