Mount Sinai Researchers Map First Sex-Specific Brain Atlas of GLP-1, Explaining Why Weight-Loss Blockbusters May Favor Females

Mount Sinai researchers map GLP-1 across 25 brain regions, revealing why weight-loss drugs work differently in men and women.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 4:24 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Decoding the Geography of a Blockbuster Peptide

While GLP-1 analogs such as semaglutide and liraglutide have revolutionized the treatment of obesity and diabetes, the precise location of GLP-1 production within the brain has remained a scientific blind spot—until now. A research team at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has constructed the first comprehensive, sex-specific atlas of GLP-1 expression. Using high-sensitivity RNAscope technology, the team identified the peptide across 25 distinct brain nuclei and regions. The study, led by senior author Mone Zaidi, proves that the "brain map" for GLP-1 is not a one-size-fits-all model; rather, it diverges significantly between males and females in areas governing reward, appetite, and metabolism.

Hindbrain Disparities: The Core of Appetite Control

The research highlights significant sex-biased expression within the medulla, the brain's headquarters for basic survival functions.

Female Dominance: In females, Glp1 density was notably higher in the raphe obscurus nucleus (ROb) and the ventral solitary tract (SolV). These areas are linked to autonomic appetite suppression.

Male Patterns: Males showed higher densities in the central and intermediate subnuclei of the solitary tract.