Your gut microbiome might impact brain health

The gut microbiome may be a modifiable risk for future brain performance. 

This is the first part of the study that focuses on a small number of participants. It builds on the findings of other recent scientific studies, and will determine whether there is a difference in gut microbiome composition due to family history or inherited genetics. 

The live-in partners will serve as the control group.

The lead scientist of this study is Dr. Brent Zanke MD, PhD Molecular Genetics. 

Other scientific collaborators include:

• Walter Swardfager. Ph.D. Associate Professor and Associate Chair Clinical Sciences, Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto 
• Larissa McKetton. Ph.D. Neuroscientist and Director @ Cogniciti | Cognitive Health, Neuroscience, Brain Health
• Rafal Kustra. Ph.D. Professor of Biostatistics and Statistical Genomics, University of Toronto and Dalla Lana School of Public Health. 
• Shiva Amiri. Ph.D. VP,  Head of AI and Data Intelligence, Pivotal Life Science. 
• John Parkinson. Ph.D. Professor at Departments of Biochemistry, Computer Science and Molecular Genetics at University of Toronto
• Dennis McCormac. Ph.D. Independent Strategic Scientific Advisor

Our start date for sample collection depends on getting the right participants. When we have completed enrollment of this pilot (50 people and partners), we will gather the bio-medical samples over a three-week period. 

Generally speaking, people in the same household share a similar gut microbiome. Comparing two people who are mostly the same but with different family histories makes it easier to identify small differences in the gut that could relate to cognitive decline.

Your information is safe and confidential

The Veritas IRB Research Ethics Approval Board in Canada has approved the i-Forget discovery initiative. This approval assures you we have met health-industry standards for personal information and privacy security.

No information that may directly identify you personally will be released to i-Forget researchers. 

All data is stored electronically in an encrypted form, with access safeguards consistent with those protecting personal health information. 

All data is associated with a unique personal study ID number. The electronic form is stored in an encrypted form according to Canadian personal health information standards, PIPEDA.

Canadian charity The Durable Mind Collective (DMC) funds the i-Forget research study. Personal donations and in-kind contributions from genetic sequencing service providers have made the pilot study possible. DMC and i-Forget have no ties to any commercial interests, such as pharmaceutical companies, dietary supplements, or probiotic marketers.