Abstract
Initial evidence that cognitive function improves after bariatric surgery exists. The post-surgery increase in cognitive control might correspond with a decrease of impulsive symptoms after surgery. The present study investigated cognitive function and nonfood-related impulsivity in patients with substantial weight loss due to bariatric surgery by using a comparative cross-sectional design. Fifty post-bariatric surgery patients (postBS group) who had significant percent weight loss (M = 75.94, SD = 18.09) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (body mass index, BMI Mpost = 30.54 kg/m2, SDpost = 5.14) were compared with 50 age and gender matched bariatric surgery candidates (preBS group; BMI Mpre = 48.01 kg/m2, SDpre = 6.56). To measure cognitive function the following computer-assisted behavioral tasks were utilized: Iowa Gambling Task, Tower of Hanoi, Stroop Test, Trail Making Test-Part B, and Corsi Block Tapping Test. Impulsive symptoms and behaviors were assessed using impulsivity questionnaires and a structured interview for impulse control disorders (ICDs). No group differences were found with regard to performance-based cognitive control, self-reported impulsive symptoms, and ICDs. The results indicate that the general tendency to react impulsively does not differ between pre-surgery and post-surgery patients. The question of whether nonfood-related impulsivity in morbidly obese patients changes post-surgery should be addressed in longitudinal studies given that impulsive symptoms can be considered potential targets for pre- as well post-surgery interventions.
Highlights
Impulsivity is considered a predisposition toward rapid, unplanned reactions to internal or external cues and by the tendency to think, plan, control, and behave insufficiently (Moeller et al, 2001)
Initial evidence that cognitive function improves after bariatric surgery exists
The present study investigated cognitive function and nonfoodrelated impulsivity in patients with substantial weight loss due to bariatric surgery by using a comparative cross-sectional design
Summary
Impulsivity is considered a predisposition toward rapid, unplanned reactions to internal or external cues and by the tendency to think, plan, control, and behave insufficiently (Moeller et al, 2001). This complex construct has been linked to a broad range of psychopathology including both internalizing and externalizing symptoms (Kashyap et al, 2012; Johnson et al, 2013; Braham et al, 2014; Sharma et al, 2014). This low or missing association may be explained by the fact that self-ratings and performance-based tasks assess different aspects of impulsivity (Sharma et al, 2014)
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