J Neurol. 2025 Aug 4;272(9):555. doi: 10.1007/s00415-025-13301-y.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the nervous system. The neurobiological implications of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) in modifying PD risk profile remain incompletely characterized.
METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases for relevant studies up to 27 February 2025 to identify eligible clinical investigations. We conducted meta-analyses of covariate-adjusted data to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of different GLP-1RAs in ameliorating both motor and non-motor clinical manifestations within PD cohorts.
RESULTS: We identified six studies from the database for inclusion in the analysis. Meta-analysis demonstrated that GLP-1RAs showed potential benefits in alleviating motor symptoms compared to placebo, though the overall effect did not reach statistical significance (MD = – 1.08, 95% CI: – 2.87 to 0.71, P = 0.24, I2 = 51%) involving 735 individuals (experiment group n = 413, control group n = 322). Subgroup analysis stratified by pharmacokinetic properties revealed distinct therapeutic responses across GLP-1RA preparations. Short-acting agents significantly improved motor dysfunction (MD = – 2.93, 95% CI: – 4.72 to – 1.14, P = 0.001, I2 = 0%), whereas long-acting agents showed no symptomatic improvement (MD = 0.43, 95% CI: – 1.13 to 1.99, P = 0.59, I2 = 0%). Non-motor symptom burden, assessed via the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale, HRQoL, MDS-UPDRS Part I, showed no statistically significant improvement in PD patients treated with GLP-1RAs.
CONCLUSION: Short-acting GLP-1RAs could significantly improve motor symptoms, suggesting potential symptomatic benefits. However, the results are not robust enough, and further standardized studies are needed to evaluate their role in disease.
PMID:40760123 | DOI:10.1007/s00415-025-13301-y
