In this ISLAND Newsletter

• Risk Factor - Smoking
• Live in and around Hobart? Come and meet the project team!
• Research Success at the Australian Dementia Research Forum
• ISLAND Researchers on Print Radio Tasmania
• Invitation - Understanding Dementia MOOC

Thanks for being involved in ISLAND and helping us reduce dementia risk in Tasmania. 

Risk Factor - Smoking

We all know smoking is not good for our health and it's certainly not good for your brain.  Smoking significantly impacts vascular function and is toxic to the brain.  As a result, smoking is one of the major risk factors for dementia and has been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline, Alzheimer's Disease and vascular dementia.

Researchers have investigated how smoking interacts with risk for dementia. Studies have looked at how risk for dementia might change depending on your smoking status (never smoked, past smoker, and current smoker). Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that current smoking increased the risk of dementia (from any cause) by a significant amount (34% for every 20 cigarettes consumed per day - refer Cancer Council of Victoria.).

However, former smokers were found to have a similar risk profile to those who had never smoked. This suggests that by giving up smoking, individuals can potentially reduce their dementia risk to that of someone who has never smoked. Now, that's great news!

Want to give up? Click here to contact QUIT Tasmania 

Live in and around Hobart? come and meet the project team!

Adam and Helen from the ISLAND Project Team will be out and about in July. If you live in the South of the state, you can catch up with them in the following locations. Come along and ask about our research, pick their brains about our current cognitive tests or just to say hello – they would love to see you. 

• Eastlands Shopping Centre on Wednesday 12 July 10am – 4pm
• Kingston Plaza Priceline Pharmacy on Thursday 20 July 9am - 11am
• Kingston Library on Thursday 20 July 2pm - 3:30pm
• Northgate Shopping Centre on Tuesday 25 July 10am – 4pm
• Huonville Pharmacy on Thursday 27 July 10am - 11:30am
• Huonville Library on Thursday 27 July 12:30pm to 2:30pm

A great opportunity to meet some of the ISLAND team in your community. 

Research Success at the Australian Dementia Research Forum

Congratulations to Dr Eddy Roccati and Professor Anna King who both won awards for their presentations at the recent Australian Dementia Research Forum in Queensland. Its great to see our research being recognised at such prestigious events.

We intend to hold a series of face to face information sessions across Tasmania this year to allow you to interact with our researchers and hear about the results from the ISLAND Project so far. Keep an eye on your emails for details. 

Listen to some of our researchers on Print Radio Tasmania

Our researchers have been working with Print Radio Tasmania to deliver a series of on air interviews about our research at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre and the ISLAND Project.

Grab a cuppa and set some time aside to have a listen to a variety of topics including cognitive reserve, artificial intelligence, brain injury, stem cells and dementia research and the results and sub studies from the ISLAND Project.

Have a listen here. 

We also have three new interviews coming up in the next few weeks. 

On air or online at www.printradiotas.org.au :

Eddy Rocati, Lifelong Learning - 08:30 Friday 14 July

Katharine Salmon, Speaking to your GP About Dementia - 08:30 Friday 21 July

Pauline Marsh, Importance of Social Contacts and Family for People Affected by Dementia - 08:30 Friday 28 July

Understanding Dementia Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

The Understanding Dementia MOOC, developed by the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, is a free, world-leading course designed for anyone interested in knowing more about the diseases that cause dementia, how the disease affects the person living with dementia and how we can provide the best quality care. 

The course opened on the 4th of July and runs for 7 weeks.  You can expect to spend about 3 hours per week completing the course activities. Some extra time will be given at the end of the course to catch up if needed or revisit the content.  The modules will cover the brain, the diseases and the person. You will obtain a certificate at completion.360,000 enrolments world-wide.

Enrol today and increase your knowledge and understanding of dementia. 

The University of Tasmania received funding from the Australian Government. Views and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of its authors, and may not be the same as those held by the Department of Health.

CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B | ABN 30 764 374 782