Skip to main content

Bariatric Surgery Tied to Slower Cognitive Decline in People With Obesity

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 17, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17, 2024 -- Bariatric surgery may slow cognitive decline for people with obesity, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging.

Evan L. Reynolds, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues examined the effect of surgical weight loss on cognition in individuals with class II/III obesity. The analysis included 113 participants who completed baseline assessments and 87 who completed two-year follow-up assessments.

The researchers found that the primary outcome, the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery (NIHTB-CB) composite score, was stable following bariatric surgery (−0.4). For secondary outcomes following surgery, the NIHTB-CB dimensional card sorting test (executive function assessment), improved (+6.5), while the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) delayed recall test (memory assessment) declined (−0.24). There was no association between improvements in metabolic risk factors and diabetes complications with improvements in the NIHTB-CB composite score. At follow-up, the other four NIHTB-CB subtests and Rey AVLT assessments of auditory learning and recognition were unchanged.

"Since individuals with obesity experience more rapid cognitive decline than those without, stable cognition two years after bariatric surgery may be considered a success against historical trends, yet future controlled trials are needed to test this," Reynolds said in a statement.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted January 2024

Read this next

GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Dispensing Up From 2020 to 2023 for Teens, Young Adults

WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2024 -- For adolescents and young adults, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) dispensing increased from 2020 to 2023, according to a research...

Ultraprocessed Foods Increase Adiposity, Cardiometabolic Risk in Children

WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2024 -- High ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption in young children is associated with adiposity and other cardiometabolic risk factors, according to a study...

Sleep Restriction Tied to Negative Cognitive Effects in Teens With Overweight, Obesity

WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2024 -- Adolescents with overweight or obesity may be more vulnerable to negative cognitive effects following sleep restriction, according to a study published...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.