title: Cognitive function and nonfood-related impulsivity in post-bariatric surgery patients.
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 M post = 30.54 kg/m(2), SDpost = 5.14) were compared with 50 age and gender matched bariatric surgery candidates (preBS group; BMI M pre = 48.01 kg/m(2), 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Ekaterini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Georgiadou
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Herzogin Elisabeth Hospital Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gruner-Labitzke
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Herzogin Elisabeth Hospital Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Hinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Zwaan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
keywords: bariatric surgery; cognitive function; impulse control disorder; impulsivity; obesity