Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) plays an important role in signaling the feeling of satiety after food intake. Recent research has shown that GLP-1 receptor agonists are effective in the treatment of obesity
by affecting “food cognition”,
that is, precisely, by decreasing hypothalamic responses to food cues and by modifying the perception of the palatability of foods.
New research shows that this action occurs even before food intake, inducing pre-ingestive satiety which allows the body to prepare and regulate food intake.
Predigestive action of GLP-1 agonists
The studyconducted in mouse models of obesity and participants suffering from obesity questioned about their levels of satiety before, during and after meals, reveals that:
- GLP-1 receptor agonists in fact promote the feeling of satiety even before the meal;
- Indeed, GLP agonist treatment systematically increases the satiety index at all phases, particularly during the pre-ingestive phase, whereas in the control group, a decrease in satiety is observed in the pre-ingestive phase;
- Analysis of human and mouse brain samples reveals that this action is mediated by neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus;
- optogenetic manipulation of these neurons makes it possible to induce satiety identical to the action of GLP-1 agonists.
These results identify for the first time the neuronal pathways by which GLP-1 receptor agonists increase the feeling of satiety in order to prevent food overconsumption, an essential action to reduce obesity.
