Fat impacts the brain function in many ways.    Obese men and women are estimated to be about 35% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared to people of a normal weight.   fat cells release a substance called interleukin 1, which can cause severe inflammation and, in turn, gunk up the brain   The women underwent cognitive function tests before their [bariatric] surgery as well as after. The results show that after surgery, the obese women showed improvement in the troubling brain activity seen prior to going under the knife, and they performed better on their cognitive function tests   belly fat can produce stress hormones that can also hinder cognition   Inflammation continues to be fingered as a culprit in the link between body fat and a variety of disorders, which include brain-related diseases, and even depression. Body fat, also referred to as adipose tissue, is thought to create substances that cause inflammation, and that could be at least one of the primary ways it irritates the brain.