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HealthyGLPsyNCT06818292

Investigation of the Relationship Between Peripheral and Central Metabolic Changes Induced by GLP-1 Agonists

A study testing Liraglutide in people with Healthy, run by Nils Opel at 1 site in Germany.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study aims to investigate the acute effects of Liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist established in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, on brain metabolism, brain network function, and executive functioning as well as mood in healthy, normal-weight individuals. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 43 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Healthy
What is being tested?
Liraglutide
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
10 participants
Where
1 siteGermany
Study dates
21 Oct 2024to 6 Dec 2024
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 43 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Normal weight at study inclusion (BMI 18.5-25)
  • Generally good physical condition without serious previous illnesses

Who cannot join

  • MRI contraindication: cardiac pacemakers, hearing aids, neurostimulation, insulin pumps, other potentially ferromagnetic implants, screws, clips, prostheses, metal splinters, etc., pregnancy, claustrophobia, extensive tattoos, medication that impairs thermoregulation
  • Comorbidity: neurological or psychiatric conditions, cognitive impairments, chronic somatic disorders
  • Intake of more than 40g of pure alcohol (for men) or more than 20g of pure alcohol (for women), smoking, regular drug use
  • Pregnancy or nursing
  • Current or within the past five years eating disorder, vegan diet or fasting within the past six months
  • Regular medication intake
  • Liraglutide contraindications: Hypersensitivity to liraglutide or other components of the medication, medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2) in personal or family history, history of pancreatitis, current pregnancy or breastfeeding, severe gastrointestinal motility disorders including gastroparesis, severe or terminal renal insufficiency

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Germany1 site
  • Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Jena

    Jena, Thuringia, 07743

Other trials in Germany

About this study

This study aims to investigate the acute effects of Liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist established in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, on brain metabolism, brain network function, and executive functioning as well as mood in healthy, normal-weight individuals. Given the emerging evidence of GLP-1's impact on brain function, including the modulation of reward processing and cognitive functions, this study will focus on the physiological changes induced by Liraglutide and their potential implications for brain health. The overall goal of this study is to assess how acute GLP-1 administration influences systemic and brain metabolism to modulate brain signalling and behaviour.

Read the detailed description

Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a hormone secreted primarily by intestinal epithelial cells that plays a central role in promoting insulin secretion and reducing hunger and food intake. Liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, has established benefits in regulating blood glucose and appetite and also directly acts on the brain through GLP-1 receptors. These receptors are widely distributed across brain regions, with high densities in the hypothalamus, brain stem, hippocampus, and in reward-related areas such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, the underlying effects of GLP-1 receptor activation on brain metabolism and functional brain networks remain poorly understood.

This study will address several key questions regarding the molecular, cellular, and cognitive changes that occur following the acute administration of Liraglutide. In particular, the investigation will focus on how GLP-1 administration modulates peripheral and central metabolism and on the influence of changes in brain metabolism on signaling. Furthermore, the relationship between brain metabolism, signaling, and psychological as well as cognitive outcomes will be examined.

Magnet resonance spectroscopy (MRS) will be used to measure changes in brain metabolism, with a focus on alterations in key metabolic pathways involved in neuronal function and energy homeostasis. In addition, biochemical profiles in blood will be examined to assess how peripheral metabolic changes may reflect or influence brain metabolism. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will also be employed to determine whether the observed alterations in brain metabolism correlate with changes in brain network connectivity and activity. Finally, correlations between these metabolic and connectivity changes and improvements in cognitive function and psychological parameters, such as executive function and mood (compared to placebo), will be evaluated.

The expected outcomes of this study are important insights into the neurobiological effects of Liraglutide and its potential to influence brain metabolism and functional dynamics. By elucidating the impact of GLP-1 analogues on brain metabolism and cognitive function, a better understanding of how metabolic regulation can affect brain signaling is anticipated. Given the prevalence of cognitive deficits in various psychiatric and neurological conditions, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, this research has the potential to contribute to the development of future therapeutic strategies involving GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Conditions
Healthy
Being tested
Liraglutide, Placebo
Keywords
GLP-1, MR Spectroscopy, fMRI, Metabolism

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • LiraglutideBiological

    Also called GLP-1 Agonist

    0.6 mg of the pre-filled solutions from pen-injector Liraglutide (GLP-1 Agonist)

  • PlaceboBiological

    0.1 mL NaCl

Study groups in NCT06818292
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
GLP-1 then PlaceboExperimentalParticipants will be randomly assigned to receive equivalent volumes of either Placebo (NaCl) or 0.6 mg of the pre-filled solutions from pen-injector Liraglutide (GLP-1 Agonist) in a randomized, counterbalanced order. The administration will occur at two time points: T1 and T3 with a washout period of at least 1 day between the two interventions to minimize carryover effects.
Receives: Biological: Liraglutide; Biological: Placebo
Placebo then GLP-1ExperimentalParticipants will be randomly assigned to receive equivalent volumes of either Placebo (NaCl) or 0.6 mg of the pre-filled solutions from pen-injector Liraglutide (GLP-1 Agonist) in a randomized, counterbalanced order. The administration will occur at two time points: T1 and T3 with a washout period of at least 1 day between the two interventions to minimize carryover effects.
Receives: Biological: Liraglutide; Biological: Placebo

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Neuropsychology: Processing speed

    Number Symbol Test, Letter-Number-Symbol Test, TMT-A. A composite score for processing speed will be derived from the Number Symbol Test, Letter-Number Symbol Test, and TMT-A. First, raw scores from each test will be normalized (e.g., converted into z-scores), taking into account that lower completion times on the TMT-A indicate better performance. The normalized scores will then be combined-after adjusting the direction of scores if necessary-by calculating their average to yield a single, unified measure of processing speed.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  2. Neuropsychology: Attention

    TMT-B, D2-Test. A composite attention score will be created using the D2-Test and TMT-B. Raw scores from both tests will be standardized (e.g., as z-scores). For tests such as the TMT-B, if necessary, the scores will be adjusted (e.g., reverse-coded) so that higher values indicate better attention performance. The resulting standardized scores will be averaged to form a unified attention measure.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  3. Neuropsychology: Memory

    VLMT-A, block span. A composite memory score will be computed from the VLM-T and Block Span test. Raw scores from each test will be standardized (e.g., into z-scores). These z-scores will then be averaged to yield a single measure of memory performance, reflecting both verbal and visuospatial working memory components.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  4. Neuropsychology: Verbal Fluency

    MWT-B, Regensburg Word Fluency Test. A composite score for verbal fluency will be derived from the Regensburg Word Fluency Test and the MWT-B. First, raw scores for each test will be converted to standardized scores (e.g., z-scores). If needed, scores will be adjusted so that higher values consistently represent better performance. The standardized scores will then be averaged to create a single composite measure of verbal fluency.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  5. MR spectroscopy

    metabolites between 0-4 ppm in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), medial cingulate cortex (MCC), and anterior insula

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  6. Exploratory Proteomics of Autophagy Processes I

    protein levels of autophagy biomarkers (e.g. LC3II \& p62) of isolated PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) by Western Blotting

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  7. Exploratory Proteomics of Autophagy Processes II

    protein levels and protein phosphorylation by targeted and untargeted mass spectrometry-based proteomics and phosphoproteomics of isolated PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells)

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

Secondary outcomes (14)
  1. Functional MRI

    resting state connectivity

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  2. Structural MR imaging

    cortical thickness, grey matter volume

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  3. Sleep

    Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The 19 self-rated questions of the PSQI are grouped into 7 components. Each component is scored from 0 to 3 points. The scores of the 7 components are then summed to yield a global score ranging from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  4. Depression

    Beck's depression inventory (BDI-II). The questionnaire consists of 21 questions. Each question is scored on a 4-point scale ranging from no impairment (0) to severe impairment (3). The maximum score is 63.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  5. Anxiety

    State-Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S). For the STAI-S assessment, specific items (1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, and 20) were reverse-coded because they represent aspects of anxiety expressed in a negative direction. After recoding, responses for all STAI-S items were summed to obtain the final test score for state anxiety.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  6. Anhedonia

    Snaith-Hamilton-Pleasure-Scale (SHAPS). For scoring, each non-affirmative response ("does not apply" or "does not apply at all") is assigned 1 point, while each affirmative response is assigned 0 points. The points are summed across all items, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 14, with higher scores indicating a greater degree of anhedonia.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  7. Life quality

    Positive Mental Health Scale. 9 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 ("do not agree") to 3 ("completely agree"). A total score is computed by summing the responses to all items, with higher scores indicating greater positive mental health.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  8. Numeric Analog Scales

    Assessing mood on 0-10 points and sleep duration on 0-13 points scale

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  9. Fatigue

    Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), 10-item self-assessment scale. For scoring, responses to items 1-3 and 5-9 are rated on a scale from 1 to 5, while items 4 and 10 are reverse-coded (scored from 5 to 1). The scores for all items are then summed to produce the total FAS score.

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  10. Metabolic processes

    Targeted and quantitative analysis by mass spectrometry

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  11. Lipid profiling

    Targeted and quantitative analysis by mass spectrometry

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  12. Transcription expression patterns

    Gene expression profile by RNA sequencing of isolated PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells)

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  13. Proteome/phosphoproteome/ubiquitinome patterns

    proteome expression patterns through blood based proteome, phosphoproteome, and ubiquitinome analysis

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

  14. Exosomal protein patterns

    Evaluate exosomal protein content through blood based metabolome analysis

    Measured: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 Feb 2025
  2. Study start21 Oct 2024
  3. Primary completion6 Dec 2024
  4. Study completion6 Dec 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
10 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06818292
Sponsor's protocol ID
2024-3513-BO
Acronym
GLPsy
Status last verified
Feb 2025
First submitted
17 Jan 2025
Last updated
10 Feb 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Liraglutide in people with Healthy, run by Nils Opel at 1 site in Germany.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Feb 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Neuropsychology: Processing speed (time frame: Outcome measures are assessed during a one-week on-site visit per participant (placebo vs. liraglutide days) within an overall study period of 2 months). The study lists 7 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Feb 2025.

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