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Researchers have found that Inuit from northern Quebec are genetically distinct from any present-day population in the world, and say studying the genes of minority Indigenous populations in Canada can help deliver better health care to these populations.

In a study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers mapped the complete genetic profile of Inuit in the Nunavik region — what they claim is a first. Researchers then homed in to study the effects these genetic variants may have on disorders like brain aneurysms.

"There's a lot to learn from genomes of smaller populations that are understudied," said Patrick Dion, assistant professor at º«¹úÂãÎè, one of the study's authors alongside primary author Sirui Zhou of the Montreal Neurological Institute.