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Effect of GLP1 Receptor Agonist on Brain Insulin Responsiveness

Impact of the Incretin System on Brain Insulin Sensitivity in Humans with Normal Weight, Overweight and Obesity

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06487832
Enrollment
60
Registered
2024-07-05
Start date
2024-07-01
Completion date
2027-12-31
Last updated
2025-03-30

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Normal Weight, Overweight and Obesity, Insulin Sensitivity, Insulin Resistance

Keywords

GLP-1, Brain, functional magnetic resonance imaging, Semaglutide

Brief summary

The overarching goal of the current study is to investigate the effect of GLP-1 on brain insulin responsiveness in a randomized, single-blinded, within subject cross-over study design. To this end, investigators will compare the effect of the administration of semaglutide versus placebo, followed by an fMRI with administration of intranasal insulin or placebo.

Detailed description

Investigate the effect of the GLP1 receptor agonist (i.e. 0.25 mg semaglutide) vs. placebo on the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in combination with 160IU intranasal insulin vs. placebo administration in healthy male and female participants of normal-weight and overweight/obesity. Participants will furthermore undergo tasks that assess cognitive functions and eating behavior. Brain insulin responsiveness (primary outcome) is defined as the cerebral response to intranasal insulin compared to placebo by means of cerebral blood flow and resting-state BOLD measurements. Secondary outcomes include diffusion weighted imaging, neural food cue reactivity, cognitive functions and metabolic predictors.

Interventions

OTHERSubcutaneous GLP1-RA

Subcutaneous administration of semaglutide

Subcutaneous administration of NaCl

Sponsors

University Hospital Tuebingen
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Intervention model description

In a randomized, single-blinded, within subject cross-over design, we will compare cerebral response from before to after intranasal insulin or placebo administration after a single dose of 0.25 mg semaglutide administration versus placebo administration

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2; and between 27.5 kg/m2 and 40 kg/m2 * Written consent to participate in the study * Written consent to be informed about incidental findings

Exclusion criteria

* Type 1 or type 2 diabetes, LADA, MODY, or cardiovascular diseases such as chronic heart failure, myocardial infarction, status post stroke * BMI \< 18.5 or \> 40 kg/m2 * Persons who cannot legally give consent * Pregnancy or lactation * History of severe mental or somatic disorders including neurological diseases (incl. epileptic seizures) * Taking psychotropic drugs * Chronic diseases or medication that influence glucose metabolism * Regular use of analgesic drugs * Previous bariatric surgery * Known allergy against one or more of the used agents * Acute infection and/or antibiotic treatment within the last 4 weeks * Hemoglobin values less than 10.5 g/dl for women, less than 11.5 g/dl for men * Other diseases that in the opinion of the investigator may jeopardize the success of the study or indicate a risk to the volunteer * Participation in a lifestyle intervention study or a pharmaceutical study within the last 30 days * Metal implants which cannot be removed as pacemakers, artificial heart valve, electrical devices as insulin pumps, large tattoos, retainer over more than 4 teeth, contraceptive coil, implanted magnetic metal parts as screws or plates after a surgery * Persons with claustrophobia * Persons with tinnitus * Weight loss or gain of \>5% in the last 3 months * Pancreatic diseases * History or family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN2) or medullary thyroid cancer * History of malignant thyroid disease * History of malignant disease in the past 5 years * Surgery in the last three months * Chronic tobacco use of more than 10 cigarettes/day * Women who do not consent to refrain from breastfeeding until 2 months after the end of the study * Women of childbearing age who do not consent to use safe method of contraception from 28 days before until 2 months after the end of the study or refrain from heterosexual intercourse during this time * Women of childbearing age who do not consent to take a pregnancy test

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cerebral response after insulin compared to placebo nasal spray24 hours after semaglutide or placebo administrationResting-state cerebral blood flow and BOLD-fMRI response from before to 30 min after nasal spray administration

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)24 hours after semaglutide or placebo administrationDiffusion weighted parameter based on MRI measurements
Heart rate variability (HRV)24 hours after semaglutide or placebo administrationHRV based on ECG measurements
Neural food-cue reactivity after insulin compared to placebo nasal spray24 hours after semaglutide or placebo administrationBOLD-fMRI response to food cues 30 min after nasal spray administration
Change in mood24 hours after semaglutide or placebo administrationUsing a questionnaire, positive and negative affect state will be assessed.
Performance during cognitive tests24 hours after semaglutide or placebo administrationCambridge Cognition Tests Battery
Change in subjective feeling of hunger and food craving24 hours after semaglutide or placebo administrationOn a visual analogue scale, subjective feeling of hunger and food craving will be assessed using questionnaires.

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Primary ContactStephanie Kullmann, PhD
stephanie.kullmann@med.uni-tuebingen.de0049707129

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026