5th International Conference on Neuroscience and Mental Health

Ayushi Saxena is a dedicated and dynamic physician currently working at Autonomous State Medical College in India. She completed her clinical training in Michigan, USA, and her foundational medical sciences at St. Martinus University, Curaçao. A prolific researcher, she has authored over six publications in the past year, including a notable systematic review on “Metabolic Syndrome Causing Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Schizophrenia.” She is actively involved in research and editorial work and contributes to several academic journals. She has demonstrated strong academic engagement at the international level, having served as both a speaker and moderator at the 2nd and 3rd International Conferences on Neuroscience and Brain Disorders. Beyond academia, she is deeply committed to social impact. As a Level 2 Crisis Counselor with Crisis Text Line USA, she provides mental health support to individuals in distress. In India, she actively collaborates with multiple NGOs to deliver free healthcare services in underserved rural communities and leads awareness initiatives on women’s health, particularly HPV vaccination among adolescent girls. National recognition has come her way for her outreach efforts, and she has received accolades for her contributions to public health and social service. She aspires to a career in psychiatry, integrating research, advocacy, and patient-centered care to drive meaningful change in mental health.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a relapsing condition shaped by reward learning, stress, and behavioral reinforcement. Despite established treatments, some patients continue to experience heavy drinking or relapse. Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), initially developed for metabolic disease, are being investigated as potential modulators of brain reward pathways. This review examines the neuroscience and emerging clinical evidence for GLP-1 RAs, particularly semaglutide, in AUD.

A focused narrative synthesis of preclinical research and randomized trials examined reward-circuit mechanisms, alcohol consumption, craving, and translational limitations. Experimental studies implicate GLP-1 signaling in mesolimbic pathways involved in motivated behavior, including the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens. A small 2025 randomized trial found that weekly semaglutide reduced alcohol consumed during laboratory self-administration, drinks per drinking day, and weekly craving, but not average drinks per calendar day or the number of drinking days. A 2026 trial in adults with AUD and obesity found fewer heavy-drinking days with semaglutide plus cognitive behavioral therapy. Conversely, an 8-week 2026 oral semaglutide trial did not meet its primary endpoint of laboratory cue-elicited craving, although several secondary outcomes improved.

Overall, results are promising but preliminary. Differences in populations, formulations, follow-up, and endpoints limit comparisons. Larger multisite trials are needed to establish long-term efficacy, safety, mechanisms, and likely responders. GLP-1 RAs remain investigational for AUD and should not replace evidence-based treatment. Integrating reward neuroscience with psychiatry, endocrinology, and primary care may reveal future adjunctive strategies for addiction care.