Revealed: How Popular Weight Loss Drug May Lower Dementia and Stroke Risk
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A new study suggests that popular diabetes and weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro may help protect against brain-related diseases such as dementia and stroke.
Research followed 60,000 adults aged 40 and older for seven years, comparing patients taking GLP-1RAs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide (Ozempic and Mounjaro) to those on other antidiabetic drugs.
The analysis revealed that those on GLP-1RAs had a significantly lower chance of developing neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases. However, no relevant difference was shown when it comes to intracerebral hemorrhage, or Parkinson's disease.
According to the findings of the study—which analyzed electronic health
records from the TriNetX US network, from December 1, 2017, to June 30, 2024—the people who benefited the most from these medications were those aged 60 or older, women, and those with a body mass index [BMI] of 30 to 40.
A stock image shows a person holding Ozempic Insulin injection pens for diabetes/ weight loss.
A stock image shows a person holding Ozempic Insulin injection pens for diabetes/ weight loss.
getty images
Of all Americans with diabetes, some 63 percent are also affected by obesity. Both diabetes type 2 and obesity are known to increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases due to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and anti oxidative stress.
The 2024 Lancer Commission on Dementia recognized diabetes and obesity as "modifiable risk factors," estimating the relative risk for dementia at 1.7 and 1.3 respectively.
Although the findings from this study are promising, experts caution that more clinical trials are needed to confirm the neuroprotective effects of GLP-1RAs.
Cognitive neuroscientist Coco Newton of the University of Cambridge, who was not involved in the present study, said: "This is a rigorous study and suggests important therapeutic effects of GLP-1RAs beyond glycemic control. However, the protective effects against dementia should be taken with caution. Three types of dementia outcomes were investigated – Alzheimer's, vascular, and 'other'.
"Although there was an overall lower risk of dementia associated with GLP-1RAs, the sub-group analysis revealed that this was only the case for 'other' dementia, but not for Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia—the two most common forms of dementia. What constitutes 'other' dementia is unclear."
She also added that the relatively short average follow-up of 1.7 years is far less than the time it takes to develop symptoms of dementia and access a diagnosis, and that a longer follow-up time should be investigated before making claims around dementia protection.
Previous studies had found that GLP-1RAs may play a role in reducing the risk of colorectal cancer, however, the Fred Hutch Cancer Center also warns that these medications may be associated with a higher incidence of thyroid cancer.
Do you have a health story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about diabetes or obesity? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Reference
Lin, H.-T., Tsai, Y.-F., Liao, P.-L., & Wei, J. C.-C. (2025). Neurodegeneration and Stroke After Semaglutide and Tirzepatide in Patients With Diabetes and Obesity. JAMA Network Open, 8(7). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.21016
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