Potential discovery to lower antipsychotic weight gain

Researchers have found that clozapine, one of the most potent antipsychotic medications used to treat treatment-resistant schizophrenia, causes increased appetite followed by weight gain. Additionally, it leads to disturbances in the regulation of glucose and lipid levels, which raises long-term health risks. Studies on mice have shown that clozapine reduces the activity of brain cells involved in regulating hunger and satiety, particularly affecting the MC4R receptor and the Kir7.1 channel. This results in increased food consumption and weight gain, along with associated health issues such as excess fat and diabetic disorders. The researchers suggest that targeting the MC4R-Kir7.1 pathway could be a strategy to mitigate weight gain related to clozapine by using drugs that activate MC4R receptors or inhibit the Kir7.1 channel. However, further studies are needed to verify the safety and effectiveness of this approach in humans.

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