A large observational study suggests that semaglutide, a widely used GLP-1 diabetes medication, is associated with improved cognitive outcomes in people with psychiatric disorders, particularly in memory and overall mental function.
Researchers analysing UK health data found that patients prescribed semaglutide showed better cognitive scores than those receiving other diabetes treatments or no treatment. The findings were presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology annual congress in Amsterdam.
Large-scale analysis of NHS data
The study reviewed records from the UK National Health Service, covering more than 28 million people with psychiatric diagnoses. From this population, researchers identified 62,783 individuals who met the criteria for analysis.
All participants had at least one prescription for semaglutide or another antidiabetic medicine, and had completed cognitive assessments using the Mental State Examination (MSE) before and after treatment.
Cognitive impairment was measured across domains including memory, attention and orientation, with scores ranging from 0 (no impairment) to 100 (maximum impairment).
Better scores linked to semaglutide use
According to the analysis, semaglutide was associated with improved outcomes in most cognitive domains when compared with other diabetes drugs and with no antidiabetic treatment.
The strongest effect was seen in memory, where patients on semaglutide had significantly better scores than those with no treatment. Researchers reported a mean ratio of 0.7 in memory impairment scores compared with untreated individuals.
No clear improvement was seen in orientation across any of the drug groups.
Overall, the semaglutide group also showed lower levels of general cognitive impairment when all domains were combined.
Caution over interpretation
Researchers noted that the study was retrospective, meaning it looked back at existing medical records rather than testing patients in a controlled trial. As a result, it cannot prove that semaglutide directly improves brain function.
They also highlighted limitations, including possible lifestyle differences between groups, lack of detailed data on dosage or adherence, and reliance on a basic cognitive test rather than in-depth neurological assessments.
What it means
Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed for type 2 diabetes and later widely used for weight management.
While the findings suggest a possible link between GLP-1 drugs and cognitive health, researchers say further controlled clinical trials are needed before any conclusions can be made about their use in psychiatric or neurological conditions.