Extensive research has shown that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist drugs like semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, appear to have a constellation of different health benefits beyond the treatment of diabetes and weight loss.
In addition to cutting the progression kidney disease, lowering the risk of opiate addiction and prolonging life expectancy, studies have shown that the drugs even seem to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.
At a first glance, that’s why it’s surprising that a new retrospective study — meaning research that further analyzes existing data — presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Chicago, just found that the use of GLP-1 agonists may increase the risk of developing cognitive impairment.
The study was led by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine epidemiology researcher Isaac Thorman, and analyzed data from a massive dataset of patients from over 100 healthcare organizations across five countries called TriNetX. The team tracked nearly 65,000 type 2 diabetes patients over the age of 50, who were treated with GLP-1 drugs over a ten-year span.
According to the study, users of the drugs seem to be at a higher risk, not lower, of developing a cognitive impairment including dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Specifically, the data shows that the impairments occurred twice as frequently (at 2.6 percent)in patients who took the GLP-1 drugs, compared to those who didn’t (at 1.3 percent).
The explanation? You might have already guessed it: GLP-1 users are experiencing more age-related cognitive impairment for the simple reason that they’re living significantly longer while taking the drug.
“We interpret this to mean that GLP-1 analog recipients lived significantly longer than non-recipients, and that they lived long enough for them to develop cognitive impairment,” Thorman told MedPage Today.
“The apparent survival paradox demonstrated here, plus our unprecedented sample size and long-term follow-up, may explain the non-significance found in the randomized controlled trials,” he added.
However, other experts urged caution, noting the need for further research before we can make any definitive claims.
“A thorough investigation into these factors is important before reaching a conclusion,” Imperial College London professor of neuroscience Paul Edison, who was not involved, told the publication.
It’s a stance Thorman appears to agree with.
“Caution is advised when interpreting these findings, as causality cannot be inferred from this retrospective analysis,” he concluded.
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