Exercise may rewire the brain to fight weight regain after surgery
NCT ID NCT06511310
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study looks at whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can change how the brain works in people who have regained weight after bariatric surgery. Researchers will use brain scans and questionnaires to measure changes in brain connectivity, appetite, and mood. The goal is to understand the link between exercise, brain function, and weight control, which could inform future obesity treatments.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward exercise-based strategies to help people maintain weight loss after bariatric surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-stage study with only 15 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It is designed to gather information, not to test a treatment.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 15 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2025
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-70 years * Body mass index (BMI) \>19 kg/m2 and body weight\< 250kg * Participants must have experienced a clinically significant weight regain, defined as over 10% of their maximum weight lost, within 1 to 5 years following their bariatric surgery. They will be asked to self-report their weight loss history. Participants must also provide the operative report from their bariatric surgery for reference. * In good general health with no conditions that could influence the outcome of the trial, and in the judgment of the investigator is a good candidate for the study based on review of available medical history, physical examination and clinical laboratory evaluations * Willing to adhere to the protocol requirements for the duration of the study Exclusion Criteria: * Type 1 diabetes mellitus * Peripheral neuropathy with insensate feet * Recent blood donation within the last 2 months * Use of beta-blockers * Current pregnancy or breastfeeding * Active Heart or lung disease * Severe hypertension (systolic \>160 mmHg or diastolic \>90 mmHg) * Inability to exercise for any reason * Any known contraindication to exercise testing based on current ACSM guidelines * MRI contraindications, such as presence of pacemakers, aneurysm clips, artificial heart valves, ear implants, metal fragments, or foreign objects in the eyes, skin, or body * Known presence of a structural brain lesion (e.g. tumor, cortical infarct) * Presence of another neurologic disorder, which could impact findings (e.g. multiple sclerosis) * History of cardiovascular disease, stroke, congestive heart failure * Active hematological, renal, pulmonary or hepatic disorders * Active treatment for cancer * A history of active alcohol or substance abuse * Any significant systemic illness or unstable medical condition which could lead to difficulty complying with the study protocol * History of claustrophobia and inability to tolerate an MRI * Body weight \>250kgr and largest body diameter of 70cm as there is a certain weight and diameter limit of the MRI scanner * Unwilling or unable to return for study visits, undergo neuropsychological testing and MRI imaging * Left-handedness
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Joslin Diabetes Center
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Do GLP-1 Weight-Loss drugs change how teens eat and feel?
- Can electrical muscle stimulation boost exercise benefits after menopause?
- Can a cold cloth on the neck calm Post-Surgery nausea?