On December 14, Science magazine announced the top 10 scientific breakthroughs of 2023, ranking the development of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and the discovery of drugs this year that can alleviate obesity-related health problems as the top breakthroughs of the year.
* and overweight have always been challenging topics in science and public health. There are many causes of obesity, and there is a life-threatening risk. However, the stigma of being overweight has always been a problem that cannot be ignored in the drug journey, leading people to associate overweight with a person's weak will, rather than with biochemically related factors.
Now, a new drug has emerged and is showing even more exciting results. This year, two landmark clinical trials have further demonstrated that GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed for diabetes, have produced more meaningful health benefits than those later discovered. Researchers are currently conducting several trials investigating their effects in drug addiction, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.
In a related editorial, Holden Thorpe, editor-in-chief of Science magazine, wrote: "While GLP-1 receptor agonists are promising, they ask far more questions than they answer, and this is a sign of a real breakthrough." ”
The development of GLP-1 drugs will promote the discussion of obesity, which can help reduce the stigma of being overweight. However, the chapter also points to concerns about the cost, availability, relevance, and the need to take these drugs indefinitely. Doctors are also concerned that people who are not obese or overweight will seek GLP-1 drugs for speedy progress.
The annual list of scientific breakthroughs also includes: an antibody that may slow neurodegeneration in the brain of people with Alzheimer's disease**Discover natural sources of hydrogen below the surface;Push for systemic changes in the treatment of early-career scientists in global institutions;The antiquity of human footprints found in an ancient lake in New Mexico, USA is confirmed;Earth's vital carbon pump is slowing down;Interstellar signals from large-scale black hole mergers;The development of AI-assisted weather forecasting;New malaria vaccine;Deployment of E-level supercomputing.
Editor-in-charge: Shi Jian |Review: Li Zhen |Supervisor: Wan Junwei.
*:Technology**).