Prescribing glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists to patients living with both schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes was associated with a lower risk of psychiatric hospital admission and emergency department attendance for a mental health crisis, according to a study reported in The BMJ.
The research focused on people with both conditions, a group in which antipsychotic treatment is known to raise the risk of type 2 diabetes. The BMJ report said the potential effects of GLP-1s in this population had been uncertain before the new findings, which were published in Lancet Psychiatry.
Observational data point to a possible benefit beyond glucose control
The study found that patients prescribed GLP-1s such as Ozempic and Mounjaro were less likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital or attend an emergency department for a mental health crisis than those not taking GLP-1s. The BMJ said the results suggest an association, not proof of causation, and the authors called for further research, including randomised controlled trials, to confirm the findings.
The researchers also cautioned that GLP-1s should not be viewed as a primary psychiatric treatment or prescribed solely to reduce psychiatric hospital admissions based on the current evidence.
Why the findings matter for future treatment research
The report adds to growing interest in how medicines developed for metabolic disease may affect other clinical outcomes. In this case, the findings may be relevant for clinicians treating patients with complex psychiatric and metabolic needs, especially where diabetes management and mental health risks overlap.
For now, the evidence remains observational, but the study opens a new line of inquiry into whether GLP-1 therapies could offer broader benefits in selected patients. Further trials will be needed before any change in practice can be considered.
Read more in The BMJ and the study context at BMJ news report.
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