Key result
Weight loss in severe obesity is linked to increased left hemisphere gray and white matter volumes.
Why the study?
Obesity is associated with reduced cortical thickness and brain volume, and it is unclear how brain structure changes with weight loss in severe obesity.
Does behavioral weight loss or bariatric surgery improve cortical thickness and brain volume in patients with severe obesity?
Observational (n=47)
Does behavioral weight loss or bariatric surgery improve cortical thickness and brain volume in patients with severe obesity?
Weight loss interventions in severe obesity may lead to increased left hemisphere gray and white matter volumes at four months, though cortical thickness remains unchanged.
May indicate brain volume recovery after weight loss in severe obesity; hypothesis-generating and requires randomized confirmation before practice change.
Obesity is associated with reduced cortical thickness and brain volume, which may be related to poor nutrition. Given that brain atrophy in anorexia nervosa recovers with nutritional improvements and weight gain, it is worth examining how brain structure changes at the other end of the weight spectrum with weight loss. Thus, this study aimed to examine change in cortical thickness and brain volume in 47 patients with severe obesity who participated in no treatment, behavioral weight loss, or bariatric surgery. T1-weighted MRI scans were conducted pre-treatment and approximately four months later. Measures of cortical thickness, gray matter volume, and white matter volume were compared between time points. Despite overall reduction in BMI, there was no significant change in cortical thickness. There was a significant increase in left hemisphere gray matter and white matter volumes across the sample. At baseline and follow-up, there was no relationship between cortical thickness or brain volumes and BMI. This study is the first to examine changes in cortical thickness and brain volume with weight loss in adults with obesity and the findings show partial support for the hypotheses that weight loss results in increased cortical gray and white matter.
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Bohon et al. (2018) conducted an observational in Severe obesity (n=47). Weight loss (behavioral or bariatric surgery) vs. No treatment was evaluated on Change in cortical thickness, gray matter volume, and white matter volume. Weight loss in adults with severe obesity was associated with a significant increase in left hemisphere gray and white matter volumes at four months, with no significant change in cortical thickness.
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