Effects of bariatric surgery on central nervous system regulation of obesity

Abstract

As the incidence of obesity increases globally, treatment strategies of obesity emerge continuously. However, the weight loss effect varies between individuals without explicit explanations. In the recent years, many researchers have revealed regulation mechanisms of central nervous system on eating behavior, proposing that obese individuals exhibit brain functional abnormalities implicated in homeostatic regulation of food intake, central reward and motivation, emotion, memory, and attention system. Therefore, these scholars appeal that treating obesity cannot remain "brainless" . The most effective treatment currently available for obesity is bariatric surgery which lead to excess weight loss of 42%-67% in accompany with changes in brain activity. Functional magnetic resonance imaging showed a decreased activation in the central reward network and increased inhibitory control in the cognitive control system after bariatric surgeries. In this article, the authors introduce the central nervous system regulation of eating and investigate the effects of bariatric surgery on central nervous system. Key words: Obesity; Central nerve; Bariatric surgery; Bariatric and metabolic surgery; Regulation mechanisms