Bariatric Surgery = Better Cognitive Function

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), bariatric surgery can curb alterations in patients’ brain activity, leading to improved cognitive function.

This fascinating study was led by, Cintia Cercato, MD, PhD, of the University of São Paolo and provides a wealth of insights into the mental impacts of obesity, rather than the purely physical, and the role that weight loss surgery can play in alleviating these alterations.

The longitudinal study looked at the effect that gastric bypass surgery in particular had on brain function. Dr. Cintia Cercato and her team examined the mental function of 17 obese women using positron emission tomography (PET) scans - a functional imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of processes in the body – as well as neuropsychological tests. These examinations and tests were used to assess the brain function and activity of the participants, prior to surgery and six months after the procedure. The same tests were also then performed on a control group of 16 lean women.

Researchers found that the 17 obese women tended to have higher rates of metabolism in certain areas of the brain, including the region responsible for regulating emotion, meditation, and intrinsic control networks.

However, following bariatric surgery, there was no evidence of this exacerbated brain activity and their brain metabolism rates were comparable to the activity seen in the leaner women. Following bypass surgery, the obese participants also performed better on a test measuring executive function than they did before the procedures.

Five complimentary neuropsychological tests designed to investigate other aspects of memory and congnitive function showed little to no change following weight loss surgery.

“When we studied obese women prior to bariatric surgery, we found some areas of their brains metabolized sugars at a higher rate than normal weight women,” said Dr. Cercato. “In particular, obesity led to altered activity in a part of the brain linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Since bariatric surgery reversed this activity, we suspect the procedure may contribute to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.”

“Our findings suggest the brain is another organ that benefits from weight loss induced by surgery,” Cercato continued. “The increased brain activity the obese women exhibited before undergoing surgery did not result in improved cognitive performance, which suggests obesity may force the brain to work harder to achieve the same level of cognition.”