🔬 Check out July's science digest! The most interesting science news from around the world. This month, we summarise recent research on anti-obesity drugs, discover an underground cave on the moon, learn about the last universal common ancestor, and more. Check out the full article on the Consensus website under 'Science content' - Consensus Science Digest #3.
Written by our science content partner -
DR. EVA HAMRUD: I am a bioinformatician with a primary research interest in stem cell biology. I am also passionate about all areas of scientific research and their communication.
MEDICINE
New research sheds light on how anti-obesity drugs work
GLP-1 drugs mimic the naturally occurring hormone, glucagon peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is released when we eat food. These drugs have been used to control type 2 diabetes for several years, and more recently some GLP-1 drugs have obtained FDA approval for obesity. Some of the most successful GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy have attained high profiles, and in 2023 the drug company Novo Nordisk made over 21 billion US dollars from GLP-1 drugs. Due to their widespread usage, more data is now available for scientists to better understand how these medications work and what unintended effects they may have on the body.
How do GLP-1 drugs work?
GLP-1 was originally used for diabetes as it triggers the release of insulin, which in turn tells the body to absorb glucose from the bloodstream. Its weight-loss ability, however, appears to be due to an effect on the brain. One of the ways that these anti-obesity drugs promote weight loss is by making people feel full, even if they haven’t eaten. Last month, scientists have identified that this feeling of fullness is controlled by a group of neurons which are different from the neurons that make you feel full after a big meal. Stimulating these neurons in feeding mice caused them to stop eating immediately. This exciting discovery may provide the groundwork for more drugs to be developed to increase feelings of fullness before eating whilst avoiding other effects on insulin.
Do GLP-1 drugs have side effects?
GLP-1 drugs come with a range of side effects including vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. One of the most common side effects is nausea, and in some cases this effect prevents people from continuing usage. This month, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA found that the neural circuits in the back of the brain that cause nausea, are independent from those that cause feelings of fullness. This finding provides an exciting opportunity to develop new anti-obesity drugs which selectively target the neurons that make you feel full, but don’t make you feel sick.
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