The metabolic effects of olanzapine and topiramate in rats and humans

In humans the anti-psychotic Olanzapine (OLZ) has negative side effects on metabolism: it causes weight gain and increases the risk of developing type 2 Diabetes. The anticonvulsant Topiramate (TPM) has the opposite effects: it reduces body weight and improves insulin sensitivity. Because of this, it has been proposed to use TPM to counteract OLZ’s side effects. The underlying mechanisms by which OLZ and TPM influence metabolism are unknown. To study this, we performed a series of studies in both rats and humans.