Weight-loss surgery effects on memory and brain health in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes
Official title: WISE II - Obesity and Type-2 Diabetes: Bariatric Surgery Effects on Brain Function
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11249634 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tracks whether bariatric (weight-loss) surgery helps thinking and brain health in adults with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes by measuring changes before and after surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | June 25, 2014 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $628,834 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK099334-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249634 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes who are preparing for or have planned bariatric surgery and can attend study visits at the University of Florida.
✕Less likely to help
People without obesity or diabetes, those not undergoing bariatric surgery, or those unable to complete brain scans and follow-up visits are unlikely to be eligible or to receive direct benefit.
What this research studies
If you take part, you'll have memory and thinking tests, blood tests (including A1C and glucose), and brain imaging (MRI, fMRI, and MRS) before surgery and at follow-up visits after surgery. The team will compare how reductions in BMI and blood sugar relate to brain metabolism, inflammation markers, connectivity, and white-matter integrity. They will also test whether brain scans or metabolic markers before surgery can predict who will lose the most weight or gain the largest cognitive benefits. Follow-up visits include early checks (around 3 months) and longer-term visits (around 18 months) to see lasting effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could show that bariatric surgery improves memory and brain health and help doctors identify who is most likely to benefit.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier work from this team (the parent WISE project) found improved cognition and brain-function measures at 3 and 18 months after bariatric surgery, so this builds on promising prior results.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Porges, Eric — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Porges, Eric
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Comparing bariatric (weight‑loss) surgery with GLP‑1 and SGLT‑2 diabetes medicines for people with obesity and type 2 diabetes
This project compares long-term benefits and safety of weight‑loss surgery versus GLP‑1 and SGLT‑2 diabetes medicines for adults who have obesity and type 2 diabetes.
-
Comparing the effectiveness and safety of surgery and medications for obesity and type 2 diabetes
This study is looking at how well metabolic surgery works compared to certain medications for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes, so that patients and doctors can better understand the best options for managing these conditions, especially for those who might not always get the best care.
-
Ksr2 and obesity-related hearing loss in a mouse model: what it means for veterans
This project studies how obesity and type 2 diabetes affect hearing using a mouse model to identify ways to protect hearing in people with metabolic problems.
-
Epitranscriptomics in obesity and type 2 diabetes
Researchers are studying how gene activity changes in fat tissue and other organs to better understand obesity and type 2 diabetes, with the goal of finding new ideas for treatment.
-
New medicines to help people lose weight safely and protect the pancreatic cells that control blood sugar
A funding opportunity to develop a new pill that helps people lose weight without muscle loss and protects the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
-
Predicting obesity-related diabetes and wound healing with math models
A math-based model is being built to better understand how obesity drives type 2 diabetes and slow wound healing in adults.
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.