Associative learning is a psychological process that occurs when two initially unrelated elements, such as objects, sights, sounds, ideas, or behaviors, become linked in the brain. Classic examples include associating pain with touching a hot stove or connecting foodborne illness with eating a particular food. People with obesity and poor insulin sensitivity have impaired associative learning. However, a recent study shows that liraglutide, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, restores associative learning capability in people with obesity.

The study involved 54 adults, half with normal body weight (high insulin sensitivity) and half with obesity (reduced insulin sensitivity). Researchers gave participants either liraglutide or a placebo in the evening and tested their learning abilities the next morning.

They found that people with obesity and reduced insulin sensitivity encountered difficulties when attempting to establish connections between sensory signals, and their brain activity related to learning was weaker than in normal-weight individuals. However, just one dose of liraglutide reversed these issues in people with obesity and reduced insulin sensitivity, exhibiting brain activity comparable to that of normal-weight participants, indicating that the drug improved their learning abilities.

Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), a type of drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, overweight, and obesity. GLP-1RA medications work in the pancreas to lower blood glucose levels by promoting the production and release of insulin. They also support beta cells synthesis, growth, and survival while reducing their apoptosis rate.

These findings suggest that liraglutide, an anti-obesity drug, affects brain activity in people with obesity and reduced insulin sensitivity. This study was small, however, so validating the results requires more research.

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