Semaglutide Breakthrough: Brain Cells for Weight Loss
Capital – May 03, 2024 – A recent study has made a groundbreaking finding about semaglutide, a drug used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. Researchers have identified specific nerve cells in the brain responsible for the drug’s beneficial effects on weight loss, while also differentiating them from those that cause side effects. This can lead to better treatments. See how this affects the future.
Semaglutide Breakthrough: Pinpointing Brain Cells for Weight Loss Without Side Effects
Semaglutide, a GLP-1 agonist already used in treating obesity and type 2 diabetes, has shown notable promise in reducing food intake and body weight. However, its use is ofen accompanied by side effects such as nausea and muscle loss.Now, researchers are making strides in understanding how to maximize the benefits while minimizing the drawbacks.
Decoding the Brain’s Response to Semaglutide
A groundbreaking study published in Cell Metabolism has identified specific nerve cells in the brain responsible for semaglutide’s positive effects-reduced food intake and fat loss-distinct from those that trigger adverse reactions. This revelation opens the door to more targeted treatments.
Did You Know?
GLP-1 agonists mimic the action of glucagon-like peptide-1, a natural hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite. semaglutide is one of the most well-known drugs in this class.
The research team focused on how semaglutide affects the brain. By tracking which nerve cells were activated by the drug in mice, they were able to selectively stimulate these cells without administering the drug itself.
Key Findings: Isolating the Beneficial Effects
- Appetite and Weight Loss: Stimulating specific nerve cells mimicked the effects of semaglutide, causing mice to eat less and lose weight.
- Reducing Side Effects: When these same nerve cells were deactivated, the drug’s appetite-suppressing and fat-loss effects diminished, but side effects like nausea and muscle loss remained unaffected.
The Role of Specific nerve Cells
Júlia Teixidor-Deulofeu, a doctoral student involved in the study, explained the importance of these findings:
This indicates that these nerve cells control the favorable effects of semaglutide. We have thus identified a specific nerve cell group that is necessary for the effects that Semaglutide has on weight and appetite, but which does not seem to contribute to any great extent to side effects such as nausea. If we can direct the treatment there,maybe we can maintain the positive effects but reduce the side effects.
Júlia Teixidor-Deulofeu,Doctoral Student
Targeting the Dorsal Vagal Complex
The identified nerve cells are located in the dorsal vagal complex,a region of the brain known to regulate energy balance. This discovery not only paves the way for improved treatments but also enhances our understanding of how semaglutide functions within the brain.
Pro Tip
Understanding the specific brain regions affected by drugs like semaglutide can lead to more precise and effective treatments, minimizing unwanted side effects.
Implications for future Treatments
Linda Engström Ruud, a researcher and supervisor on the project, emphasized the growing importance of understanding these drugs:
Semaglutide and other GLP-1-agonists are today prescribed to more and more and are also investigated for other potential indications such as substance use syndrome and neurodegenerative diseases. It is important to understand how these drugs actually work. The better we have about this, the greater the opportunity we have to improve them.
Linda Engström Ruud, Researcher
The study provides in-depth insight into how the brain stem regulates our energy balance, offering a foundation for future research and advancement.
Frequently Asked questions (FAQ)
source Article: Semaglutide effects on energy balance are mediated by Adcyap1+ neurons in the dorsal vagal complex.
