J Psychopharmacol

Incretin therapies linked to lower self-harm risk in patients with severe mental disorders

February 18, 2026

A large retrospective cohort study of adults with psychotic disorders found that concomitant incretin therapy was associated with lower risks of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm over five years compared with matched peers not receiving incretin therapy. Using the TriNetX database and 1:1 propensity score matching, researchers analyzed 21,984 individuals per group. Use of incretin therapy was associated with reduced relative risk of suicidal ideation (relative risk [RR], 0.48), suicide attempts (RR, 0.64), and self-harm (RR, 0.61). Lower risks for all-cause mortality, overdose, and substance use disorders were also observed.

Clinical takeaway: In patients with severe mental disorders receiving antipsychotics, incretin therapy was associated with lower rates of several psychiatric and behavioral risks, though causality cannot be inferred.

Source:

Kalamaras H, et al. (2026, February 15). J Psychopharmacol. Association of incretin therapy with self-harm behaviors in people with psychiatric conditions: A retrospective cohort study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41693095/