Assessing the changes in the brain-gut axis after weight loss surgery and their relationship with weight loss and changes in eating behaviors.
Obese women undergoing weight loss surgery will be recruited to participate in the study. These subjects will undergo a screening visit and 4 study visits. The study visits will occur before, and at 1-, 6- and 12 months after the weight loss surgery. Each study visit will include evaluation of brain function (fMRI), anthropometrics, blood samples (gut hormones, cytokines, metabolomics ) and stool samples (16S RNA and Metabolomics) and eating behaviors questionnaires (YFAS, TFEQ, food cravings/preferences scales, 3-day food food intake records)
Primary outcomes: weight loss after surgery and changes in eating behaviors scales (YFAS, TFEQ) , metabolomics, appetite related hormones and gut microbiome (16S RNA) Secondary outcomes: changes in brain function (fMRI/MRS), diet (3-day food intake records) and inflammatory markers.
