Ongoing studies
What are they?
Clinical studies or clinical research are evaluating new strategies to identify, prevent, treat or manage disease with the aim of improving the health of people. A clinical study is research in which you freely agree to participate. Nevertheless, without the voluntary participation of people, studies cannot exist.
We are studying the impact of aging on brain structure and on the metabolism of major fuels by the brain. Our work involves using ketogenic strategies to reduce the risk and progression of cognitive decline associated with aging and Alzheimer’s disease because Alzheimer’s disease does not impair the brain’s ability to use ketones like it does with glucose.
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Ketones for the proper functioning of the heart
EXPLORATORY STUDY: Ketocardio
Does oral ketone intake improve heart function in patients with heart failure?
We aim to recruit 20 participants
Measurement of fuels in defective kidneys
The objective of the project is to acquire knowledge on the metabolism, that is to say the use or storage, of ketones (a derivative of fats) and acetate (a small fat), which are two important fuels the kidneys in conditions of renal failure.
Several potential treatment avenues for different diseases could arise from this study.
Reduced Sugar for Balanced Blood Sugar; second part
Effect of a diet reduced in sugar combined with a two-month ketogenic supplement on energy metabolism in seniors’ residences: The SAGE-2 study
During this project, a reduced sugar menu accompanied by a ketone supplement will be presented for 2 months to residents of a specific seniors’ residence. We will collect information on health, quality of life, diet, level of physical activity and memory.
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Question/answer
Why participate in a research project?
For the purpose of helping us develop new or better treatments OR For the purpose of taking a more active role in your own health.
Clinical trials cannot exist without the people who volunteer to take part in them.
How will my personal data be managed?
Your file is identified by a specific code and not by your name, so your identity will not be know to anyone outside our research team. The researcher keeps the key to the code linking your name to your file. The decoding can only be done by the researcher or by a person with specific authorization.
Do we get paid?
You will receive financial compensation for your participation. The amounts differ depending on the degree of involvement related to the project.
What is a placebo?
A placebo is a chemically inactive substance, which is given as if it was a treatment but has no therapeutic value. It’s essential in a clinical trial to verifying the efficacy of a product under study, especially when the tests are subjective, like with cognition. The active product must clearly be more effective than the placebo or it will not be approved for the market.
Who can participate?
Anyone aged 18 and over, with or without a health problem, may be eligible for our projects. Eligibility criteria vary depending on the project.
What are genetic tests?
Genes are responsible for many aspects of body function. Certain genes can be associated with a disease or the risk of developing it. Genes can also influence how our body responds to a drug or to our diet. Analyzing certain genes can therefore help us understand how the body works or explain why the effectiveness of treatment may vary from person to person.
What will my participation bring on a personal level?
There may be personal benefits associated with you participation in research projects, but we cannot guarantee this. We hope that knowing that the results of our research could contribute to better treatments would be satisfying for our participants.
Is there any medication to take?
Currently, no drugs are being evaluated in our projects.
Will I get my results?
For your safety, the results of the blood tests and certain information related to the scans will appear in your medical file. A mention of your participation in the projects will appear in your file if you are a patient of the memory clinic. However, no results from the project you participante in will be added to your file. The examinations we carry out in these projects cannot be used to make a diagnosis or screening. We try to have a "Participants day" once a year in which the overall results are reported for everyone to see.
Can I end my participation at any time?
Your participation in research projects is voluntary. You can withdraw from this project at any time, without having to give any reasons, but you do have to inform the research team. Your decision not to participate in or withdraw from research projects will have no impact on the quality of care and services to which you are entitled or on your relationship with the team or healthcare professionals providing them.
What is a scan?
A scan is a medical imaging method that measures the composition or activity of an organ in three dimensions. To do this, a harmless radioactive tracer with a specific function is used.
Are there any risks associated with the projects?
The possible side effects associated with the consumption of supplements present in our studies are mainly gastrointestinal discomfort which is, however, usually rare, mild and transient. The risk associated with scans is mainly due to the very low dose of radiation you will receive from the injection of radioactive tracers. The radiation dose received for all scans is approved by Health Canada before we start the experiment.
