A blockbuster drug that transformed diabetes and weight loss care may hold an unexpected benefit for people with bipolar disorder.
Researchers at Griffith University found that people with bipolar disorder were less likely to require psychiatric hospitalization while taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. The result raises the possibility that some glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) influence the brain as well as blood sugar and appetite.
Bipolar disorder affects an estimated 37 million people worldwide, or roughly one in 200, according to the latest World Health Organization data. The condition causes recurring episodes of depression and unusually elevated or irritable mood, and severe episodes can require hospitalization.
Diabetes and obesity are also common among people with bipolar disorder. Although lifestyle, medication use, genetics, and other factors may all contribute to this overlap, the conditions may share biological processes involving inflammation, metabolism, and cellular stress.
Semaglutide Linked to Fewer Hospitalizations
To explore whether GLP-1 medications might affect psychiatric outcomes, researchers led by Professor Mark Taylor of Griffith’s School of Medicine and Dentistry examined Swedish nationwide health data. The analysis included nearly 15,000 people with bipolar disorder who were prescribed a GLP-1 medication during a 15-year period.
“People with bipolar disorder who were taking semaglutide (otherwise known as Ozempic or Wegovy), a type of GLP-1 medication, had significantly lower rates of psychiatric hospitalization compared with periods when they were not taking GLP-1 medicines,” Professor Taylor said.
Overall, semaglutide use was associated with a 21 percent reduction in the risk of psychiatric hospitalization.
Possible Effects Beyond Metabolism
GLP-1 receptor agonists imitate a naturally occurring hormone involved in blood sugar control, digestion, and appetite. Scientists have increasingly investigated whether the same signaling system might also affect inflammation and other processes in the brain.
The researchers proposed that GLP-1 signaling may reduce inflammation, cellular stress, and related biological activity associated with bipolar disorder. If confirmed, these effects could help stabilize mood and make relapse less likely.
“The findings add to growing evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists may have benefits beyond diabetes and obesity treatment and could represent a promising new avenue for bipolar research.”
Not All GLP-1 Drugs Showed a Benefit
The association was specific to semaglutide. Liraglutide and dulaglutide were not linked to the same reduction in psychiatric hospitalization, suggesting that any mental health effects may differ among medications in the GLP-1 class.
Professor Taylor said the next step should be a randomized controlled trial, which could test whether semaglutide truly improves psychiatric outcomes and clarify whether it could eventually have a role in bipolar disorder care.
Reference: “Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and the Associated Risk of Hospitalisation in Bipolar Disorder, From a Nationwide Cohort, 2009–2024” by Heidi Taipale, Mark Taylor, Markku Lähteenvuo, Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz, Antti Tanskanen and Jari Tiihonen, 21 June 2026, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica.
DOI: 10.1111/acps.70120
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