Semaglutide Administration in Healthy Mice Alters Behaviour Related to Stress and Motivation

Abstract

SUMMARYSemaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist used primarily to regulate blood sugar and appetite, has been studied mostly in models of obesity and diabetes. Yet, little is known about its effects on healthy animals. In this study, daily dosing of semaglutide (0.1 mg/kg) in healthy C57BL/6JRj male wildtype mice led to noticeable changes in behavioural tests commonly used to evaluate stress and motivation. The mice showed increased jumping in the open field, reduced shredding of nestlets, less interest in sniffing female urine, and heightened activity in the forced swim test. These behavioural shifts may indicate potential side effects of semaglutide in healthy animals, providing a crucial baseline for understanding how the drug could affect conditions like obesity, addiction, or cognitive decline.