Central Nervous System Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: A Systematic Review of Human Neuroimaging Studies
- Design
- Systematic review · Unknown outcome
- Match to healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75
- Different population[Auto] Synthesis of studies conducted predominantly in people with obesity/overweight.
- Could weight loss explain it?
- Possibly[Auto] Participants had obesity and/or type 2 diabetes and the abstract does not separate direct drug effects from weight loss or glycaemic improvement.
- Study tier
- Study tier 3[Auto] Systematic review/meta-analysis including observational studies (auto-provisional).
- Assessment
- Version 1 · automatic, not yet reviewed by a person · Sep 20, 2026
Study facts come from the paper. Population match, weight-loss explanation and study tier are our judgments, made against the reference group of healthy normal-weight adults aged 55–75.
[Auto, unreviewed; last sentences of abstract] However, the current neuroimaging literature is constrained by small sample sizes and methodological heterogeneity, limiting direct comparisons across studies and underscoring the need for greater standardization. This review provides insight into the neurobiological mechanisms engaged by GLP-1RAs, identifies emerging patterns of CNS response with potential implications for mechanistically informed treatment strategies, and highlights key mechanistic considerations and priorities for future neuroimaging research.
01Findings
What the study reported
- Drugs
- Class unspecified
- Primary outcome
- Not extracted
- Effect
- Not extracted
- 95% confidence interval
- Not extracted
- Follow-up
- Not stated
- Adverse events
- Not extracted
- Limitations
- Auto-classified from abstract only; effect estimates, adverse events and limitations not extracted. Requires manual review.
Who was studied
- Obesity status
- obesity/overweight present (all or most)
- Diabetes status
- diabetes mentioned
Study quality details
- Study design
- Systematic review
- Sample size
- not extracted
- Randomization
- n/a
- Blinding
- not stated
- Comparator
- not stated
- Follow up duration
- not stated
- Outcome type
- unknown
- Replication
- not assessed (auto)
- Consistency with other evidence
- not assessed (auto)
- Population applicability
- INDIRECT
- Statistical precision
- not extracted
- Risk of bias
- not assessed (auto)
- Funding conflicts
- unclear
- Peer review status
- yes
02Funding
Funding and conflicts
- Funding
- not reported in abstract
- Industry funded
- Unclear
- Manufacturer
- None identified
- Sponsor role
- not reported in abstract
- Author conflicts
- Declaration of Interests The authors declare no competing interest.
- Independent replication
- unknown
Funding is shown on every study and never used to score it.
04Source
The source, as retrieved
Abstract
Interest in glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) has expanded beyond obesity and diabetes, with growing preclinical and clinical evidence supporting potential applications in psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the central nervous system (CNS) mechanisms engaged by GLP-1RAs remain poorly characterized, limiting the capacity to optimize their therapeutic potential. This systematic review synthesized the literature examining GLP-1RA-related CNS effects, focusing on treatment-related neural responsivity, temporal dynamics, and modulators of CNS response. PubMed and Embase were systematically searched from inception to January 2026 for human studies across structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), task-based and resting-state functional MRI, molecular imaging, and neurophysiological approaches. Thirty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. The reviewed evidence suggests that GLP-1RAs engage distributed cortical and subcortical brain systems. Attenuation of reward-related responsivity following acute GLP-1RA administration was among the more consistent findings. Notably, evidence suggests that GLP-1RAs differentially modulate reward-related processes rather than uniformly attenuate reward function, with neural effects further varying according to metabolic status and underlying phenotype. Several studies additionally indicated that CNS effects evolve over the course of treatment, with more pronounced neural modulation during short-term treatment and diminished or altered effects following prolonged exposure. However, the current neuroimaging literature is constrained by small sample sizes and methodological heterogeneity, limiting direct comparisons across studies and underscoring the need for greater standardization. This review provides insight into the neurobiological mechanisms engaged by GLP-1RAs, identifies emerging patterns of CNS response with potential implications for mechanistically informed treatment strategies, and highlights key mechanistic considerations and priorities for future neuroimaging research.
Where this record came from
| Source | Retrieved | Identifier |
|---|---|---|
| pubmed | Sep 20, 2026 | 42762879 first ingestion |