The relationship between weight loss and cognitive function in bariatric surgery

Background Previously, we reported short-term improvements in auditory attention, oromotor processing speed, and executive function during the active weight loss phase following bariatric surgery that persisted out to 3 months. In this study, our aims were to investigate the relationship between weight loss and cognitive performance in these patients 1 year following vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and Roux-en Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery and to determine whether preoperative cognitive performance predicted weight loss. Methods Adult women ages 18–55 approved for bariatric surgery completed a cognitive battery prior to and at 2, 12, 24, and 52 weeks following VSG ( N = 17) or RYGB ( N = 18). Scores from each task were assigned to one of the following cognitive domains: auditory attention, processing speed, memory, and executive functioning. Weight loss and cognitive scores for each domain were calculated and compared between cohorts. Results RYGB surgery resulted in greater weight loss at 1-year follow-up relative to VSG. Both VSG and RYGB procedures resulted in improved performance on different measures of auditory attention and both surgery groups improved across all processing speed tasks. Within the executive function domain, both groups showed improvements, but only the RYGB procedure resulted in improved performance in the Trail Making Test. Baseline auditory attention and memory performance predicted weight loss at 1 year following RYGB but not VSG surgery. Controlling for baseline cognitive performance, percent total weight loss predicted auditory attention at 1 year following RYGB but not VSG surgery. Conclusions Bariatric surgery type may result in selective improvements in cognition during the first year following surgery. Presurgical cognitive performance as well as surgery type appears to influence weight loss outcomes.