Do GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic reduce dementia risk?

Recent studies suggest that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), including semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic and Wegovy), may lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease through multiple neuroprotective mechanisms.

Currently, GLP-1 drugs are FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, but not for dementia prevention or treatment. Ongoing research is evaluating their potential role in slowing Alzheimer’s disease progression.

How Might GLP-1 Drugs Reduce Dementia Risk?

While the exact mechanism is unclear, GLP-1 drugs may lower dementia risk by addressing key risk factors, such as:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Cardiovascular disease

Additionally, studies suggest GLP-1 drugs may affect Alzheimer’s disease pathways by:

• Reducing oxidative stress & inflammation in the brain
• Improving insulin signaling, which is linked to cognitive function
• Lowering amyloid-beta plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by amyloid-beta accumulation and long-term inflammation in the brain. In animal models, GLP-1 drugs have been shown to reduce amyloid-beta plaques. Impaired cognitive function is also related to insulin resistance, and GLP-1 drugs help improve insulin signaling in the brain. They also reduce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (signaling proteins) that can lessen inflammation in the brain.

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What Is the Evidence That GLP-1 Drugs May Lower Dementia Risk?

• A 2024 cohort study of over 1 million patients with type 2 diabetes in a US nationwide database of electronic health records found that semaglutide was associated with a 70% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease within a 3-year follow-up period compared to insulin and a 40% risk reduction relative to other GLP-1 drugs.
• A 2025 cohort study of about 200,000 people in the US Department of Veterans Affairs database with diabetes who started GLP-1 medication found that compared to other treatments, GLP-1 drugs were associated with a lower risk of neurocognitive disorders (including Alzheimer’s disease).
• A 2024 University of Oxford analysis of about 100,000 US patients with type 2 diabetes reported a 48% lower dementia risk in semaglutide users versus sitagliptin (Januvia) over one year.
• A 2025 analysis found that GLP-1 drugs did not have any effect on cognitive performance in the short-term (over several months), but long-term studies that followed patients for up to 3.8 years did show a reduced risk of dementia for semaglutide compared to placebo.

Summary

Emerging evidence suggests GLP-1 drugs may help reduce dementia risk, particularly in patients with type 2 diabetes. Studies highlight potential benefits on amyloid clearance, neuroinflammation, and insulin signaling. However, long-term randomized controlled trials in non-diabetic populations are needed to confirm these findings.

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