Weight Loss Medication Semaglutide Reduces Cocaine Seeking Behavior In Animal Study

Scientists person recovered that nan diabetes/weight nonaccomplishment supplier Semaglutide, sold commercially nether marque names for illustration Ozempic and Wegovy, importantly reduces cocaine-seeking behaviour successful rats. This activity needs to beryllium confirmed successful humans, but it suggests that Semaglutide is simply a campaigner to beryllium developed arsenic a curen for cocaine dependency; astatine nan infinitesimal location is nary effective pharmacological curen for cocaine dependency. The activity is published successful nan September version of nan peer-reviewed diary European Neuropsychopharmacology.

Cocaine is nan 2nd astir celebrated forbidden supplier utilized successful Europe. The European Drug Agency reports that astir 2.7 cardinal young adults (between nan property of 15-34) usage cocaine regularly, representing astir 2.5% of nan organization successful that property group. Cocaine usage successful nan UK is nan 2nd highest successful nan world, pinch astir 2.7% of adults utilizing nan supplier (see notes). There is, to date, nary effective pharmacological curen for problematic cocaine use.

Scientists from nan University of Gothenburg successful Sweden and nan University of Pennsylvania, led by Professor Elisabet Jerlhag (University of Gothenburg), gave antheral rats entree to directly-injected cocaine, which they could dispense by pressing a lever successful nan cage. Then an experimental group of 10 of these animals were treated pinch semaglutide earlier being fixed entree to nan cocaine dispenser.

Elisabet Jerlhag said:

"We recovered that successful comparison to nan power animals, self-administration of cocaine usage dropped by 26% successful those animals which had been fixed semaglutide. Previous results, some from our group and from different groups, person recovered that semaglutide tin trim intoxicant depletion and craving successful some humans and animals, and this activity connected cocaine seems to bespeak these erstwhile findings connected intoxicant use. This is nan first proceedings showing Semaglutide's imaginable arsenic a supplier for cocaine dependence.

Importantly, we besides recovered that aft a play of abstinence, location was a 62% driblet successful cocaine seeking successful those animals which had taken semaglutide and nan information (work undertaken to attain nan drug) was lowered by 52%.

This is animal work, truthful astatine nan moment, we can't opportunity that we person anyplace adjacent a viable curen for quality cocaine dependency. We request a bigger study to corroborate these results, and past we request to spot if nan findings besides use to humans. However, these results are very promising, underlining nan request for quality studies, particularly since location are nary existing pharmacological treatments for cocaine dependency".

Semaglutide belongs to a people of narcotics called GLP-1 inhibitors. These narcotics (along pinch nan akin supplier Mounjaro) person revolutionised nan curen of excess weight, and are now showing committedness successful nan curen of intelligence wellness problems.

Commenting, Professor Christian Hendershot (of nan Institute for Addiction astatine nan Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles) said:

"This is simply a cautiously conducted study that provides further grounds that GLP-1 receptor agonists tin trim cocaine reinforcement. These findings person objective implications fixed nan challenges identifying medications for stimulant usage disorder, and nan expanding objective usage of semaglutide successful galore areas of nan world. These findings should promote objective tests of GLP-1 receptor agonists for stimulant usage disorder".

Professor Hendershot was not progressive successful this research; this is an independent comment. Professor Hendershot was lead interrogator connected nan first randomized, placebo-controlled objective proceedings of semaglutide's effects connected intoxicant craving successful adults.