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Psychotropic effects of GLP-1R agonists
Bucciarelli L, Cimino V, Dell'Osso B, Fiorina P.. Pharmacological research, 2025-11-16
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The use of Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) is an established therapy for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity, providing effective glycemic control, weight loss, and cardiovascular and renal benefits. Evidence is emerging on the potential neuropsychiatric and neuroprotective effects mediated via central GLP-1R. This review summarizes preclinical, clinical, and real-world findings on the use of GLP-1R agonists in depression, anxiety, binge eating disorder (BED), cognitive impairment, dementia, and substance use disorders involving alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and opioids. Literature emphasizes human studies and translational models. Reported mechanisms include modulation of neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter systems, and reward pathways. Preliminary results are promising but limited by small and methodologically heterogeneous studies with short follow-up. Robust randomized trials with standardized psychotropic endpoints are needed. If confirmed, GLP-1RAs could represent an innovative treatment option bridging metabolic and mental health care.
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APA 7th
Bucciarelli, L., Cimino, V., Dell'Osso, B., & Fiorina, P. (2025). Psychotropic effects of GLP-1R agonists. Pharmacological research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2025.108036
Vancouver
Bucciarelli L, Cimino V, Dell'Osso B, Fiorina P. Psychotropic effects of GLP-1R agonists. Pharmacological research. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2025.108036. PMID: 41253199.
BibTeX
@article{bucciarelli2025-41253199,
author = {Bucciarelli, L. and Cimino, V. and Dell'Osso, B. and Fiorina, P.},
title = {{Psychotropic effects of GLP-1R agonists}},
journal = {Pharmacological research},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.phrs.2025.108036},
pmid = {41253199},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2025.108036}
}
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Key findings
- Preliminary results are promising but limited by small and methodologically heterogeneous studies with short follow-up.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multicenter collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 28 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 48 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Pharmacological research) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41253199) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 28 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 28 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 48 out of 100. |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
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