About the ISLAND Project

In this short introduction, we take a closer look at the ISLAND Project — the research initiative behind Brain Matters. Learn what ISLAND stands for, why it exists, and how it’s working with the Tasmanian community to better understand brain ageing and reduce dementia risk. Whether you're new to the project or already involved, this episode offers a clear overview of how research, lifestyle, and community come together to support brain health.

To find out more you can visit: 

• The ISLAND Project website 
• The Preventing Dementia MOOC

Brought to you by the ISLAND Project and Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania. To continue the discussion and for more information visit https://island.mooc.utas.edu.au or email island@dementia.utas.edu.au

Transcript

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00:00 

Neil Broomfield: 

Welcome to Brain Matters, coming to you from Palawa land. And I'm your host, Neil Broomfield. Before we dive into more health headlines, we wanted to share a bit more about the project behind the podcast, the Island Project. Whether you're already involved or maybe hearing about it for the first time, this short episode is a chance to understand what Island is about and why it exists.  

The Island Project stands for Island Study Linking Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease. It's a tenure research initiative based here in Tasmania, within the Wiking Research and Education Centre, at the University of Tasmania. And we're now about halfway through this period of research. The project focuses on one main question: how can we reduce the risk of dementia in our community? We know that 45% of dementia cases may be prevented through lifestyle changes. This project aims to understand who in the community is most at risk and what we can do to reduce this risk. Participants are at the heart of the project. They receive regular updates, take part in surveys and studies, and contribute to a growing understanding of how lifestyle, health, and environment, influence brain aging over time. A key part of the project is helping people understand what they can do to support their own brain health That includes things like eating well and staying physically active, managing cardiovascular health, staying socially and mentally engaged, having regular checkups with health professionals, and making informed decisions based on the best available evidence. We also encourage participants to complete the Preventing Dementia Massive Online Open Course, or MOOC as it's commonly called. This is a free, self-paced online course that explores dementia risk and what we can do to reduce it. The Island Project includes a range of sub-studies, exploring areas like early detection through movement and speech, as well as potential risk factors such as sleep, stress, and social connections. Many of the topics we explore in this podcast come directly from questions raised by Island participants. That's things that they've read, heard, or are curious about. So, in a way, this podcast continues those conversations. If you'd like to learn more about the Island Project, get involved in the research, or join the discussion around each episode, you can visit the website or follow the links in the show notes. Thanks to all of you for being here and for being part of a community that's working together to better understand brain health and reduce the impact of dementia.