Volume 30, Issue 173, July 2026

GLP-1 analogues in the treatment of alcohol dependence: a new direction in pharmacotherapy – a literature review

Milena Kędzierska^♦

Collegium Medicum at Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Milena Kędzierska, Collegium Medicum at Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Poland

ABSTRACT

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a widespread health issue that leads to serious complications for both the body and the mind. Because current treatments often fail to prevent relapse, researchers are looking for new ways to treat the condition. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), which are standard treatments for diabetes and obesity, are now becoming a focus in addiction medicine. In this review, we investigate how these drugs affect the reward system in the brain and whether they can help reduce alcohol abuse. Preclinical studies in animal models clearly show that activation of GLP-1 receptors in key brain regions, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA), attenuates the reinforcing effects of alcohol and reduces voluntary alcohol intake. Importantly, preliminary clinical data—including reviews of medical records and case reports—confirm these observations. They indicate that patients taking these medications experience a reduced desire to drink alcohol and are less likely to engage in alcohol-related incidents. Although the results of studies on the effects of semaglutide and liraglutide are encouraging, it should be emphasized that the current evidence is largely derived from small study groups or retrospective observations and therefore requires rigorous verification. GLP-1 analogs represent a highly promising, innovative therapeutic target for AUD; however, their routine (off-label) use requires validation in large, randomized, multicenter clinical trials to precisely determine the safety profile and establish guidelines for future therapies.

Keywords: “alcohol use disorder” (AUD), “GLP-1 receptor agonist,” “semaglutide,” “liraglutide,” “reward system,” “dopamine”

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e140ms3914

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v30i173.e140ms3914

Published: 30 July 2026