New research has found a link between weight loss surgery and improvements in memory function. A study, conducted by Dr. Gladys Strain of Weill Cornell Medical College, is one of the first to look at the surgery’s effect on cognitive ability.
Her study evaluated 120 bariatric surgery patients (most with gastric bypass and some with lap band) and 60 obese patients who had not undergone surgery. Cognitive tests were performed before and after bariatric surgery, within a 12-week period.
While the subjects showed no changes in language, attention or executive function, the bariatric surgery patients did show a marked improvement in memory function. The mechanism behind this change is not explained by the study, but the doctors suggest that the improvements in cognitive function may be due to resolution of “depressive disorders, anxiety, and sedentary lifestyles.”
