Factors Associated With Cognitive Improvement After Bariatric Surgery Among Patients With Severe Obesity in the Netherlands

IMPORTANCE: Bariatric surgery–induced weight loss is often associated with improved cognitive function. However, improvement in cognitive function is not always exhibited by all patients, and the mechanisms behind cognitive improvement remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of changes in adipokines, inflammatory factors, mood, and physical activity with alterations in cognitive function after bariatric surgery among patients with severe obesity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study included 156 patients with severe obesity (body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared], >35) eligible for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, aged between 35 and 55 years, who were enrolled in the BARICO (Bariatric Surgery Rijnstate and Radboudumc Neuroimaging and Cognition in Obesity) study between September 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. Follow-up was completed July 31, 2021; 146 participants completed the 6-month follow-up and were included in the analysis. INTERVENTION: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Overall cognitive performance (based on a 20% change index of the compound z score), inflammatory factors (eg, C-reactive protein and interleukin 6 levels), adipokines (eg, leptin and adiponectin levels), mood (assessed via the Beck Depression Inventory), and physical activity (assessed with the Baecke questionnaire). RESULTS: A total of 146 patients (mean [SD] age, 46.1 [5.7] years; 124 women [84.9%]) completed the 6-month follow-up and were included. After bariatric surgery, all plasma levels of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (median change, −0.32 mg/dL [IQR, –0.57 to –0.16 mg/dL]; P < .001) and leptin (median change, −51.5 pg/mL [IQR, –68.0 to –38.4 pg/mL]; P < .001), were lower, whereas adiponectin levels were higher (median change, 0.15 μg/mL [IQR, –0.20 to 0.62 µg/mL]; P < .001), depressive symptoms were (partly) resolved (median change in Beck Depression Inventory score, −3 [IQR, –6 to 0]; P < .001), and physical activity level was higher (mean [SD] change in Baecke score, 0.7 [1.1]; P < .001). Cognitive improvement was observed in 43.8% (57 of 130) of the participants overall. This group had lower C-reactive protein (0.11 vs 0.24 mg/dL; P = .04) and leptin levels (11.8 vs 14.5 pg/mL; P = .04) and fewer depressive symptoms at 6 months (4 vs 5; P = .045) compared with the group of participants who did not show cognitive improvement. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study suggests that lower C-reactive protein and leptin levels, as well as fewer depressive symptoms, might partly explain the mechanisms behind cognitive improvement after bariatric surgery.