Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42455493›Full record

Trial reportObesity surgery2026

Enhancing Postoperative Outcomes After Metabolic Bariatric Surgery: a Pilot Study of Inhibitory Control Training, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Psychosocial Aftercare.

Sarah Alica Rösch, Carsten Thiele, Therese Reinstaller, Tino Zähle, Kathrin Schag, Katrin Giel, Christian Plewnia, Johann Steiner, Florian Junne, Susanne Vogt

Erratum issuedAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Obesity surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Sarah Alica RöschUniversity Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Magdeburg, Germany. sarah.roesch@med.ovgu.de.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5439-8147
Carsten ThielePartner Site Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Magdeburg, Germany.
Therese ReinstallerUniversity Clinic for General, Visceral, Vascular and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
Tino ZählePartner Site Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Magdeburg, Germany.
Kathrin SchagPartner Site Tübingen, German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Tübingen, Germany.
Katrin GielPartner Site Tübingen, German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Tübingen, Germany.
Christian PlewniaPartner Site Tübingen, German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Tübingen, Germany.
Johann SteinerPartner Site Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Magdeburg, Germany.
Florian JunneUniversity Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Magdeburg, Germany.
Susanne VogtUniversity Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Magdeburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionHeightened food-specific impulsivity, associated with prefrontal cortex hypoactivity, may impair outcomes following metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS). This pilot study examined the feasibility of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) combined with an individualized food-specific inhibitory control training addressing behavioral impulsivity alongside psychosocial follow-up (FU) care to support early postoperative lifestyle adaptation.

methodsWithin 18 months post-MBS, n = 19 patients were randomized to 6 sessions of verum or sham tDCS over the right dlPFC combined with inhibition training and psychosocial group sessions. Acceptability, feasibility, food-specific impulsivity and diverse secondary outcomes (e.g., quality of life) were assessed 4 weeks (t1) and 3 months (t2) post-tDCS through (BS-specific) interviews, validated questionnaires and blood samplings.

resultRetention (67 - 80%) and satisfaction (M> 4.38, 1 - 5) were high, improvements in eating behavior and impulse control moderate (M = 3.56, 1 - 5) and side effects negligible (M= 1.46, 1 - 5). Both groups showed moderate improvements in behavioral impulsivity, self-reported perceived hunger and quality of life, body-mass-index and endocrine markers.

conclusionPotential effects may have been attenuated through the small, highly motivated, treatment-seeking sample and the rapidly evolving early postoperative phase. Future fully powered trials should include neurobiological outcome measures that may capture tDCS-induced neural changes earlier and extend FU intervals to clarify efficacy and optimize postbariatric stimulation protocols. Incorporating dismantling designs would further help to disentangle the specific contributions of tDCS, the inhibitory control training and psychosocial care.

Indexed as

Bariatric SurgeryObesity, MorbidTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAdultFeasibility StudiesFeeding BehaviorFemaleHumansImpulsive BehaviorInhibition, PsychologicalMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsQuality of LifeTreatment OutcomeWeight LossImpulsivityInhibitory control trainingMetabolic bariatric surgery (MBS)NeuromodulationNon-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS)ObesityPrefrontal cortexSelf-regulationTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)Weight loss maintenance

Identifiers

PMID42455493
PMCPMC13429539

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.