How semaglutide treatment relates to brain changes in teenagers with obesity
Observes brain scans before and during semaglutide treatment in teenagers with obesity.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Brain and Obesity Longitudinal Development: Neurobiological Mechanisms of Semaglutide Treatment of Adolescent Obesity
Key facts
- Where
- Boston, United StatesSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 12 and 15 years old?
Source: NCT07911046, who can take part
Where in United States
- Tufts Medical CenterBoston, United StatesNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Erin Mauney
- Trial code
- NCT07911046
- Record updated
- 2 November 2026
- Original description
This single-site, prospective observational pilot study examines how clinically prescribed semaglutide is associated with changes in the adolescent brain, cognition, mood, interoception, and metabolic and biological markers. Adolescents 12 to 15 years old with obesity (body mass index at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex), whose own treating physician has independently decided to start weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (Wegovy) as part of routine care, complete multimodal assessments before starting the medication and again after approximately 6 months of treatment.Read full original descriptionShow less
Brain and Obesity Longitudinal Development: Neurobiological Mechanisms of Semaglutide Treatment of Adolescent Obesity
This single-site, prospective observational pilot study examines how clinically prescribed semaglutide is associated with changes in the adolescent brain, cognition, mood, interoception, and metabolic and biological markers. Adolescents 12 to 15 years old with obesity (body mass index at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex), whose own treating physician has independently decided to start weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (Wegovy) as part of routine care, complete multimodal assessments before starting the medication and again after approximately 6 months of treatment.
Assessments at each timepoint include 3T structural and resting-state functional MRI, a neurobehavioral and interoceptive battery, and saliva and blood collection for biomarker analysis and biobanking; a semi-structured qualitative interview is conducted at the follow-up visit. The study does not provide, prescribe, or modify the medication-all treatment decisions are made by the participant's own physician.
The primary goal is to characterize within-subject changes in resting-state functional connectivity, brain structure, cognition, and eating- and reward-related behavior associated with GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment during adolescence, and to interpret these measures relative to normative neuroimaging and cognitive data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.
Inclusion: Adolescents 12 to 15 years old at enrollment; Obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex and below 160% of the 95th percentile; The participant's own treating physician has independently decided to initiate weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (with a planned maintenance dose of at least 1.7 mg per week) as part of routine clinical care; Able to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Parent/guardian permission and participant assent.
Exclusion: Current or prior use of a GLP-1 receptor agonist, or recent discontinuation; Current treatment with a GnRH analog or gender-affirming hormone therapy; Any medical, neurological, or developmental condition that, in the investigator's judgment, would prevent completion of study procedures or confound the imaging or cognitive measures; Any contraindication to MRI (e.g., non-removable implanted metal or electronic device, or fixed metal orthodontic hardware); Pregnancy.