Semaglutide linked to fewer psychiatric hospitalizations among people with bipolar disorder

Researchers examining nearly 15,000 people with bipolar disorder and diabetes or obesity found that periods of semaglutide use were associated with a 21% lower risk of psychiatric hospitalization. However, this was an observational study, meaning it cannot prove that semaglutide caused the reduction. The drug is not currently established or approved as a treatment for bipolar disorder.

Why it matters: The finding provides an intriguing research direction for understanding metabolic health, inflammation and bipolar disorder. Randomized clinical trials are needed before the drug could be considered a psychiatric treatment.