Results:

Two-sample t-test between OB (baseline) and NW groups showed decreased FA values, GM/WM densities and increased MD value in brain regions associated with food intake control (that is, caudate, orbitofrontal cortex, body and genu of corpus callosum) and cognitive-emotion regulation (that is, inferior frontal gyrus, hippocampus, insula, external capsule)(P< 0.05, family-wise error correction). Paired t-test in the OB group between before and after surgery showed that BS generated partial neuroplastic structural recovery in the OB group, but the differences had relative less strength and smaller volume (P< 0.001).

Conclusions:

This study provides the first anatomical evidence for BS-induced acute neuroplastic recovery that might in part mediate the long-term benefit of BS in weight reduction. It also highlights the importance of this line of gut–brain axis research employing the combined BS and neuroimaging model for identifying longitudinal changes in brain structure that correlated with obesity status.