Her food cravings vanished on Mounjaro then roared back

"A unique opportunity to observe deep brain activity in a person with obesity and loss of control eating provided new insight into how tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, interacts with the brain. Recordings showed that the medication reduced activity in the brain's reward center, a region linked to food noise and compulsive cravings, although this reduction did not last."

"Researchers noted that tirzepatide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist originally created for Type 2 diabetes. Early findings suggest it may also help with conditions related to impulse control, including binge eating disorder. However, the new report from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania cautions that current GLP-1 and GIP inhibitors may not be fully optimized for treating these behaviors and warrant more investigation. The case study appears in Nature Medicine."

""This study offers major insights into how these drugs may work inside the brain and will guide us as we explore new indications," said senior author Casey H. Halpern, MD, a professor of Neurosurgery and head of the Division of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. "Until we better understand their action on the brain, it's far too soon to call GLP-1 and GIP inhibitors miracle drugs for more conditions beyond type 2 diabetes and obesity.""

Implanted deep-brain recordings in a person with obesity and loss of control eating showed tirzepatide reduced activity in the brain's reward center associated with compulsive cravings. The neural suppression occurred shortly after administration but was not sustained. Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist developed for Type 2 diabetes and used for obesity; early evidence indicates potential benefit for impulse-control conditions such as binge eating disorder. Current GLP-1 and GIP inhibitors may not be optimized to produce durable effects on binge eating and impulsivity, indicating a need for targeted, longer-lasting treatments and further investigation.

Read at ScienceDaily