STOCKHOLM — Tirzepatide sharply curbed alcohol use and relapse behaviors in male and female rodents, according to a new study from scientists at the University of Gothenburg and the Medical University of South Carolina.

The drug, approved for type 2 diabetes and weight loss under the brand name Mounjaro, triggered strong drops in long-term alcohol intake, binge drinking and relapse patterns. Animals treated with tirzepatide consumed over 50% less alcohol voluntarily. After forced abstinence, they did not ramp up drinking as untreated rodents typically do. Instead, intake stayed below prior levels.

“We observed clear and strong reductions in long-term alcohol consumption, binge-like drinking, and relapse-like drinking in both male and female animals,” the researchers wrote.

Tirzepatide stands out as the first dual agonist for GLP-1 and GIP receptors, hormones that control hunger. Its safety record from diabetes treatment could speed tests for alcohol use disorder, the team noted. The study builds on prior work showing semaglutide — in Ozempic and Wegovy — also cuts alcohol use in rats.

Brain scans and tests revealed tirzepatide dulled alcohol’s boost to dopamine, the neurotransmitter driving reward and reinforcement. This dampening tied partly to the lateral septum, a region linked to motivation, rewards and relapse risk in animals and people.

Molecular probes found shifts in histone-related proteins in the lateral septum. These proteins tweak gene expression by flipping genetic switches on or off. Past studies connect such changes to addiction, though the authors stressed they likely reflect — not drive — tirzepatide’s effects on drinking.

Elisabet Jerlhag Holm, pharmacology professor at the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy, led the work. “This is not yet a new treatment for alcohol use disorder,” she said. “But the findings reinforce the view that drugs targeting these neural systems may be relevant to investigate further as potential treatment options.”

The team ran behavioral assays for alcohol intake alongside neurotransmitter measures and deep molecular scans. Results landed in eBioMedicine, dated 2026.

Experts caution the data come solely from rodents. Human trials must check if tirzepatide works the same way, pin down doses and track side effects. Alcohol use disorder mixes genes, environment and psychology. Any drug like this would pair with therapy, counseling and support, researchers said.

Still, the results add to buzz around GLP-1 drugs for addiction. Semaglutide showed promise before. Tirzepatide’s dual action might go further by changing brain reward circuits.

Alcohol use disorder hits millions worldwide. Approved treatments remain limited, with relapse common. Drugs hitting the brain’s reward pathways could fill a key gap.