GLPwatch
Saxenda for Depression
liraglutide · Investigational / off-label
Last updated 2026-05-28 15:46 UTCSaxenda (liraglutide) is not FDA-approved for depression, and any use for this condition is off-label or investigational. Research suggests liraglutide may influence brain pathways related to mood and cognition, but these findings are from preclinical or small studies and do not establish efficacy for treating depression.
AI summary of the sources below.
| Drug | Saxenda (liraglutide) |
|---|---|
| Condition | Depression |
| Approval status | Investigational / off-label |
| Research papers | 34 |
Saxenda is not FDA-approved for depression; the research below reflects investigational or off-label study only.
Research on liraglutide for depression (34)
- Drugs developed to treat diabetes, liraglutide and lixisenatide, cross the blood brain barrier and enhance neurogenesis.
- Liraglutide promotes improvements in objective measures of cognitive dysfunction in individuals with mood disorders: A pilot, open-label study.
- Liraglutide attenuate central nervous inflammation and demyelination through AMPK and pyroptosis-related NLRP3 pathway.
- Neuropsychiatric safety with liraglutide 3.0 mg for weight management: Results from randomized controlled phase 2 and 3a trials.
- Liraglutide attenuates the depressive- and anxiety-like behaviour in the corticosterone induced depression model via improving hippocampal neural plasticity.
- Prevention of pentylenetetrazole-induced kindling and behavioral comorbidities in mice by levetiracetam combined with the GLP-1 agonist liraglutide: Involvement of brain antioxidant and BDNF upregulating properties.
- Disproportionality Analysis From World Health Organization Data on Semaglutide, Liraglutide, and Suicidality.
- Psychiatric adverse events associated with semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide: a pharmacovigilance analysis of individual case safety reports submitted to the EudraVigilance database.
- GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide reverses long-term atypical antipsychotic treatment associated behavioral depression and metabolic abnormalities in rats.
- Effects of liraglutide on depressive behavior in a mouse depression model and cognition in the probe trial of Morris water maze test.
- Antipsychotic-like effect of GLP-1 agonist liraglutide but not DPP-IV inhibitor sitagliptin in mouse model for psychosis.
- The GLP-1 analog, liraglutide prevents the increase of proinflammatory mediators in the hippocampus of male rat pups submitted to maternal perinatal food restriction.
- Beneficial effects of liraglutide (GLP1 analog) in the hippocampal inflammation.
- The effects of treatment with liraglutide on quality of life and depression in young obese women with PCOS and controls.
- Effect of Liraglutide on Corneal Kindling Epilepsy Induced Depression and Cognitive Impairment in Mice.
- Liraglutide for psychiatric disorders: clinical evidence and challenges.
- Liraglutide modulates GABAergic signaling in rat hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons predominantly by presynaptic mechanism.
- GLP-1 agonist Liraglutide prevents MK‑801-induced schizophrenia‑like behaviors and BDNF, CREB, p-CREB, Trk-B expressions in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in Balb/c mice.
- Reduction in TNF alpha and oxidative stress by liraglutide: Impact on ketamine-induced cognitive dysfunction and hyperlocomotion in rats.
- Liraglutide and Naringenin relieve depressive symptoms in mice by enhancing Neurogenesis and reducing inflammation.
- Liraglutide and the management of overweight and obesity in people with severe mental illness: qualitative sub-study.
- Liraglutide 3.0 mg and mental health: can psychiatric symptoms be associated to adherence to therapy? Insights from a clinical audit.
- Clinical effectiveness of Liraglutide 3.0 mg and impact of weight loss in improving obesity-related comorbid conditions in King Fahad Medical City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A real-world experience.
- Liraglutide improves depressive and cognitive deficits in a high-fat diet rat model of obesity: the role of hippocampal autophagy and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.
- Psychiatric and psychological adverse effects associated with dulaglutide, semaglutide, and liraglutide: A vigibase study.