Live Webinar

Rewiring Reward: Can GLP-1 Agonists Curb Addiction?

Steven Klein, MD, PhD, FAAP, Caron Treatment Centers
Mo Sarhan, MD, Caron Treatment Centers
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Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Describe the role of dopamine and other neurotransmitters in addiction and reward regulation.

  • Explain how neuroadaptations in the brain contribute to substance use disorders (SUDs) and compulsive behaviors.

  • Summarize the physiological role of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in metabolism and appetite regulation.

  • Discuss emerging evidence on GLP-1 receptor expression in the brain and its impact on reward processing, cravings, and impulse control.

  • Summarize preclinical and clinical studies on the efficacy of GLP-1R agonists in reducing substance use (e.g., alcohol, nicotine, opioids, stimulants).

  • Compare GLP-1R agonists with current pharmacological treatments for addiction, identifying potential advantages and limitations.

  • Discuss the potential integration of GLP-1R agonists into addiction treatment protocols, including patient selection and dosing considerations.

  • Recognize gaps in research and the need for further clinical trials to establish safety, efficacy, and long-term outcomes.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is for participants to better understand GLP-1 agonists and their potential role in the treatment of SUD so that clinicians can be better informed about this new medication option.

Description

News about GLP-1 agonists is everywhere. However, research into their use as a treatment for SUD is still emerging. This webinar will take a deep dive into GLP-1s and explore the research and what we know about these ground-breaking medications.

Target Audience

  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker
  • Substance Use Disorder Professionals

Presenters

Steven Klein, MD, PhD, FAAP, Caron Treatment Centers
Steven Klein, MD, PhD, FAAP, is an Addiction Medicine Fellow at Caron Treatment Centers. Dr. Klein joined Caron in 2024 after completing his combined residency and fellowship in Pediatrics and Genetics, as well as a post-doctoral fellowship in translational research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

At Caron Dr. Klein works with the young adults and teens, as well as relapse patients. Dr. Klein has advanced Caron’s research and adoption of GLP-1 antagonists for the management of cravings in patients with Substance Use Disorder.
Mo Sarhan, MD, Caron Treatment Centers
Mo Sarhan, MD oversees medical care for patients in Caron’s Ocean Drive and Renaissance Programs, providing holistic, comprehensive care to ensure patients’ health and well-being, treating medical concerns and overseeing medications.

Dr. Sarhan believes that patient knowledge is a key component in medical care, educating his patients about their conditions to enable them to make the best possible decisions about their health. He brings deep empathy to his work, developed through personal experience with and knowledge of substance use disorder.

Before taking on this position, Dr. Sarhan was an addiction medicine fellow from 2023 until 2024, working with patients at Caron Pennsylvania. In that role, he oversaw and provided medical care for patients in the Young Adult and Relapse Programs.

Dr. Sarhan came to Caron after serving as a lead hospitalist at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, supervising and providing care for acutely ill medical patients. Before that, he was chief resident of internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In both roles, he instructed residents in internal medicine and attended to administrative duties.

Dr. Sarhan is board-certified in addiction medicine, internal medicine, and lifestyle medicine. He has a Doctor of Medicine from the Royal College of Surgeons - Ireland, a Bachelor of Science in Economics, and a Bachelor of Arts in French Literature from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. He also completed coursework in health economics at the London School of Economics.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Caron Treatment Centers