Weight-Loss Drugs Being Studied as Potential Means of Protecting Memory and Cognitive Function

This is the conclusion reached by researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the University of Copenhagen in a review published in the journal Science.

Animal experiments suggest that drugs acting on GLP-1 receptors may influence learning and memory.

Studies analysing medical records have also linked their use to a lower risk of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes. However, these observational findings do not prove that the medications themselves provide a protective effect.

Furthermore, in the large EVOKE and EVOKE+ clinical trials, semaglutide did not slow the progression of early-stage Alzheimer's disease, despite changes in some biological markers of the condition.

The researchers suggest that these drugs may prove more beneficial for other patient groups, such as people with obesity or diabetes who experience difficulties with concentration, planning and information-processing speed. These impairments may be linked to metabolic health and vascular function.

The researchers are calling for clinical trials in which participants' cognitive abilities are assessed from the very beginning of treatment. Potential risks for older and frail patients must also be taken into account: rapid weight loss and loss of muscle mass can worsen their physical condition.

It remains unclear whether the potential effects of these medications on the brain result from improved metabolic health, their direct action on the nervous system, or a combination of both mechanisms.