Cognitive Impairment, Obesity, and the Effects of Bariatric Surgery

Patients with morbid obesity have shown to be at increased risk for memory loss and cognitive decline. Obesity and high-fat diets have been associated with deficits in learning, memory, and executive functioning. Bariatric surgery results in significant weight loss for patients and helps resolve obesity-related comorbidities such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Interestingly, bariatric surgery has shown promise in improving some aspects of cognitive function and improved memory. (3-1) Obesity affects brain structure, more specifically the grey and white matter, likely in part by reducing oxygen flow to the various regions in the brain. Studies have shown a correlation between BMI and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), where higher BMI is associated with lower CBFV. Although it is not clear how exactly obesity plays a role in the brain's structural and functional changes, observations revealed compromised grey and white matter integrity, its fiber connectivity or cortical atrophy and metabolic alterations. (2)

Few studies exist on the impact of bariatric surgery on cognition. Some studies have shown that patients with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery had memory and cognitive improvement compared to those who had not undergone surgery. (4) Thus, the investigators hope to add to our understanding of how bariatric surgery can improve cognitive decline and to potentially offer surgery to more patients with baseline cognitive impairment and to improve cognitive function overall for patients with obesity. More longitudinal studies need to be done to connect bariatric surgery effects with cognitive decline, specifically memory.