Weight-loss drugs reduce the brain’s desire for sex and alcohol
Weight-loss drugs may be rewiring the brain in ways that go beyond reducing waist circumference.
New research suggests that drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro can reduce not only hunger but also desire for sex, alcohol and even gambling.
The drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes but became famous for helping patients lose weight by mimicking a natural hormone that slows digestion and signals fullness.
Now researchers at the University of Virginia believe they can rewire the brain’s reward system, too.
The study, published in Nature, focused on next-generation oral GLP-1 drugs and found that they directly affected brain circuits linked to pleasure, motivation and desire.
Scientists tested the oral drugs danuglipron and orforgliprone, developed by Pfizer and Eli Lilly, using genetically engineered mice whose GLP-1 brain receptors are very similar to those in humans.
Researchers discovered that the drugs not only act on the hindbrain, which controls satiety and nausea, but also trigger a pathway that connects to the central amygdala and dopamine-producing neurons.
Dopamine is often referred to as the brain’s “feel-good” chemical and plays an important role in reward and addictive behaviors.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Ali D. Güler said: “This is just the beginning.
“If we understand these pathways, we can design treatments that target specific behaviors, whether it’s overeating, addiction, or something else entirely.
“If these drugs affect reward pathways in the brain, this could have consequences beyond weight loss. It could affect things like addiction, impulse control, and even the way people experience pleasure.”
The findings may help explain why some users report losing interest in habits and pleasures beyond food.
Dr. Güler said: “We have shown that these drugs can reduce not only hunger but also rewarding food seeking.
“They act not only on the system that makes you feel full, but on the system that makes you want the cake.”
Approximately one in eight U.S. adults reportedly takes GLP-1 medications at least once.
While the research was conducted on mice, scientists believe it offers valuable clues about how the drugs work in humans.
Dr. Güler added: “These are powerful compounds. We need to fully understand them as we move into daily use.”
