Weight-loss surgery effects on memory and brain health in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes
WISE II - Obesity and Type-2 Diabetes: Bariatric Surgery Effects on Brain Function
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 ID | NIH-11249634 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: 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.
Not a fit: 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.
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 performed: 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
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Porges, Eric — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Porges, Eric
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 below.