Ozempic could lower risk of cognitive problems, new study shows

The popular diabetes drug Ozempic could be linked to a lower risk of cognitive problems, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford.

The study analyzed more than 100 million patient records in the United States, including over 20,000 who were taking semaglutide — commonly known as Ozempic or Wegovy.

It found that semaglutide was not associated with an increased risk of neurological and psychological conditions, such as dementia or depression, compared to other common diabetes drugs, and that patients taking semaglutide had lower rates of cognitive problems and nicotine dependence.

“Our results suggest that semaglutide use could extend beyond managing diabetes, potentially offering unexpected benefits in the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline and substance misuse,” Riccardo De Giorgi, clinical lecturer at Oxford and lead author of the study, said .

De Giorgi warned the results of the study cannot be generalized to people without diabetes, despite Ozempic also being used for weight loss.

“Our study is observational, and these results should therefore be replicated in a randomized controlled trial to confirm and extend our findings,” Max Taquet, clinical lecturer at Oxford and senior author of the study, said.

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“Nevertheless, they are good news for patients with psychiatric disorders, who are at an increased risk of diabetes,” Taquet added.

Health agencies earlier this year said they found no evidence linking suicidal thoughts to semaglutide use, despite a small number of users reporting thoughts of self-harm while taking the drug.