25 Sep Animal Study Finds Weight Loss Drug Reduces Alcohol Intake
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Prof. Jerlhag Holm
Prof. Elisabet Jerlhag Holm
Department of Pharmacology
Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology
The University of Gothenburg
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a conditioned associated with morbidity, mortality and costs for society. There are today 4 approved medications, but given the heterogeneity of the disease the efficacy of these is limited and new medications are needed. Peptides of the gut-brain axis, such as GLP-1, have been implied as novel treatment targets. We therefore investigated the effect of an agonist for GLP-1, semaglutide, on alcohol drinking in rodents.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: We found that semaglutide:
- Reduces alcohol drinking in male and female rats by 80&
- Prevents relapse drinking in rats of both sexes
- Attenuates the rewarding properties of alcohol in male rodents
- Acts via a reward-related area, nameluy nucleus accumbens
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: We are currently investigating if semaglutide has similar effects on other addictive drugs, and we expect a positive outcome. Indeed, other GLP-1 receptor agonists precents the rewarding aspects of addictive drugs and reduces drug taking.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a results of this study?
Response: Clinical trials investigating the effect of semaglutide on alcohol intake in overweight Alcohol use disorder patients are now neede
Citation:
Aranäs C, Edvardsson CE, Shevchouk OT, Zhang Q, Witley S, Blid Sköldheden S, Zentveld L, Vallöf D, Tufvesson-Alm M, Jerlhag E. Semaglutide reduces alcohol intake and relapse-like drinking in male and female rats. EBioMedicine. 2023 Jul;93:104642. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104642. Epub 2023 Jun 7. PMID: 37295046; PMCID: PMC10363436.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(23)00207-4/fulltext
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