How bariatric surgery changes brain responses to food and alcohol
Official title: Neuroimaging to investigate mechanisms underlying changes in Intake of high energy dense foods and alcohol from pre to post bariatric surgery
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11381840 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how brain signals related to food and alcohol change before and after sleeve or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, and how those changes relate to what people actually eat and drink.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $612,700 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA030850-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381840 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults undergoing sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, plus a matched non-treatment control group, with baseline BMI and alcohol intake measured.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not planning or eligible for bariatric surgery or those unwilling to participate in brain imaging or alcohol assessments likely will not benefit.
What this research studies
After sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the study will compare brain reward responses to high- versus low-energy foods and track how eating and drinking patterns change over time. We will enroll three groups of 70 participants each (SG, RYGB, and a non-treated group) and assess them before surgery, at 1 year, and at 2 years post-surgery. By using brain imaging and behavioral measures, we aim to link neural changes with real-world intake of high-energy foods and alcohol, including any onset or increase in alcohol use. This work could help explain why some patients increase alcohol consumption after surgery and how brain reward systems relate to food choices and drinking. This knowledge may inform post-surgical guidance and interventions to support healthier eating and safer drinking.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide personalized post-surgery recommendations to reduce high-risk drinking and improve long-term weight and health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown changes in brain reward responses after bariatric surgery, but linking these neural changes to actual intake and alcohol use is an ongoing area of exploration.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Geliebter, Allan — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Geliebter, Allan
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.