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Bariatric Surgery Improves Cognition Function in the Patients with Obesity: A Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Obesity and related comorbidities have negative impacts on cognitive function. Weight loss seems to be associated with the improvement of cognitive function and the recovery of brain structure, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the status of cognitive function including memory, executive function, attention and language ability in patients with obesity, and to further investigate whether bariatric surgery can improve overall cognitive function in these patients. A total of 11 literatures with 728 subjects were included after retrieval and exclusion. The meta-analysis showed significant improvements in memory, attention and executive function scores after undergoing bariatric surgery in the patients with obesity. However, there was no significant improvement in language ability.

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Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFC2505204).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, General Surgery Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China

    Boyu Tao, Peirong Tian, Zhen Hao, Zitian Qi, Jingyu Zhang, Jia Liu, Jingli Liu, Mengyi Li, Zhongtao Zhang & Peng Zhang

  2. National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing, 100050, China

    Peirong Tian, Jia Liu, Jingli Liu, Mengyi Li, Zhongtao Zhang & Peng Zhang

Authors
  1. Boyu Tao
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  2. Peirong Tian
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  3. Zhen Hao
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  4. Zitian Qi
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  5. Jingyu Zhang
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  6. Jia Liu
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  7. Jingli Liu
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  8. Mengyi Li
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  9. Zhongtao Zhang
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  10. Peng Zhang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peng Zhang.

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Key points

1. Patients' attention significantly improved 12 weeks and 12 months after bariatric surgery.

2. Patients' memory significantly improved 12 weeks and 12 months after bariatric surgery.

3. Patients' executive function significantly improved 12 weeks and 12 months after bariatric surgery.

4. However, there was no significant improvement in postoperative language ability.

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Tao, B., Tian, P., Hao, Z. et al. Bariatric Surgery Improves Cognition Function in the Patients with Obesity: A Meta-Analysis. OBES SURG 34, 1004–1017 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-024-07086-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-024-07086-8

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