A study on Ozempic’s impacts on Alzheimer’s disease didn’t have the results scientists hoped for. We talk to UNLV’s Dr. Jeffrey Cummings on the research and what’s next. Also from UNLV: a look at how a “new” species of an ancient human ancestor can help shape our view on evolution. We end with a fun story on “Silver Belle”... the first tree from Nevada to serve as the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree!

Over the past few years, scientists have learned that Ozempic and related drugs developed to treat Type 2 diabetes can improve the health of the liver, kidney and heart. Is it such a stretch to think they could also treat neurological disorders? Perhaps — at least when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer's patients treated with the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide (Rybelsus) in two phase III trials showed no significant improvement in cognitive or functional decline over 2 years compared with placebo, according to new data presented at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) annual meeting.

Detailed results from the phase 3 EVOKE and EVOKE+ trials of the oral GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide (Ozempic, Novo Nordisk) in early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been presented. The initial negative topline results announced last week by the company were met with disappointment in the AD research community, but the newly presented biomarker data offer some grounds for optimism and may point to a potential path forward.

Details from two large trials of Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO GLP-1 drug semaglutide showed it provided no cognitive benefit for people with early Alzheimer's disease, researchers said at a medical meeting on Wednesday, dashing remaining hopes that the widely used medication could help such patients.

When Herriot Tabuteau launched his drug development company, Axsome Therapeutics, in 2012, he decided to do things differently by focusing on treatments for brain disorders that are particularly challenging to develop. Now, he’s sitting on a $6 billion empire, according to Forbes.

In the United States, 12% of adults have taken a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) antagonist. The drugs aren’t just popular for weight loss; 62% of adults taking semaglutide or other GLP-1 drugs take them for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease — and dementia could be added to that list.

A new report offers hope for more than 57 million people suffering from dementia. The report, released by the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, looks at dozens of promising drug trials that could one day help find a cure for the disease.