"Early research in both animals and humans suggests that these treatments may help reduce alcohol and other substance use. Some small clinical trials have also shown encouraging results,” said lead researcher of the study, Lorenzo Leggio, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in a press release.
In their review, the researchers wrote that preclinical and early clinical investigations suggest that GLP-1RAs modulate the neurobiological pathways behind addictive behaviors and thus may reduce substance craving while addressing comorbid conditions.
For alcohol use disorder (AUD), they made reference to a randomized controlled trial that found low-dose semaglutide reduced laboratory alcohol self-administration as well as drinks per drinking days and craving among people with AUD.
They also wrote that GLP-receptor agonists have shown success in rodent models, reducing self-administration of heroin, fentanyl, and oxycodone. Preclinical data, meanwhile, show that the drugs reduce nicotine self-administration and other nicotine-related outcomes in rodents, with clinical data suggesting that semaglutide may reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day among people with AUD who smoke.
“Considering the rising global prevalence and burden of alcohol and other substance use disorders (ASUDs), future research should prioritize large-scale randomized controlled trials and real-world studies that encompass diverse populations,” wrote the researchers in their study.
“Although basic research should continue to explore the mechanisms of GLP-1RAs in modulating addictive behaviors, human research is needed to examine the safety and efficacy of GLP-1RAs, optimize dosing strategies, and evaluate their utility as part of combination therapies with established pharmacological and behavioral interventions,” they added.
Sources: Science Daily, Journal of the Endocrine Society