A recent study conducted by researchers at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen utilized a “Trojan horse” approach with GLP-1 drugs to smuggle neuroplasticity molecules into the brains of mice, resulting in a doubling of weight loss. The experimental drug was found to increase neuroplasticity in the brain, potentially aiding in weight loss. The study suggests that GLP-1 drugs can leak through the blood-brain barrier and carry plasticity-promoting molecules into the brain.
The researchers discovered that combining certain neuroplasticity-promoting molecules with GLP-1 medications could potentially double the weight loss associated with the drugs. These findings could have implications for the development of more effective medications for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and weight loss. Additionally, the combination of these molecules with GLP-1 drugs may allow for lower doses to be prescribed, thus reducing the nausea often experienced as a side effect.
Christoffer Clemmensen, the corresponding author of the study, explained that the brain’s ability to establish connections between neurons, known as neuroplasticity, plays a crucial role in overall functionality. The findings of the study indicate that pharmacotherapies targeting neuroplasticity may be most effective when combined with other therapies, leading to more comprehensive and lasting improvements in various conditions.
Although the application of this approach to weight regulation is still speculative, the researchers are exploring the potential benefits of utilizing drugs that can lower body weight and enhance neuroplasticity to help patients maintain a lower weight. By retraining the brain to accept a new weight as the new normal, this dual-therapy delivery approach could have significant implications for long-term weight management in individuals.
The permeability of GLP-1 medications through the blood-brain barrier, particularly in circumventricular organs, allows for the targeted delivery of plasticity-promoting molecules to regions of the brain crucial for appetite and weight regulation. While there are challenges in targeting deeper regions of the brain, the researchers believe that this dual-therapy delivery approach may have potential applications in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders impacted by GLP-1 agonists.
While translating findings from a mouse study to humans can be complex, the translatable nature of the GLP-1 system from mice to humans suggests that the results of this study could have promising implications for future drug development. By harnessing the technology and thought processes behind the development of this dual-therapy approach, researchers may be able to create more specific drug formulations targeting body weight regulation with minimal negative side effects.
