The question explores if receiving the shingles vaccination could potentially decrease an individual's risk of developing dementia.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have found a potential link between the shingles vaccine and a reduced risk of dementia. The study, conducted by a team of scientists at Stanford Medicine and other institutions, compared individuals who were eligible for the shingles vaccination with those who were not, finding a significant reduction in dementia cases among those who received the vaccine.
The study, published in 2025, used a regression discontinuity design to compare individuals who were alike except for their eligibility for vaccination. The team focused on the shingles vaccine Zostavax and the risk of dementia.
The research suggests that the link between the shingles vaccine and reduced dementia risk is associated with two main factors: preventing the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which causes shingles, and the immune-stimulating effects of the vaccine. By preventing shingles, the vaccine may reduce inflammation-related brain damage that could potentially contribute to dementia development.
Additionally, the Shingrix vaccine, which was not available during the study period, contains an immune system stimulant called the AS01 adjuvant. A large retrospective cohort study of over 130,000 US adults showed an 18% dementia risk reduction within 18 months of vaccination with Shingrix compared to the flu vaccine, which does not contain the adjuvant. This suggests that the AS01 adjuvant might play a direct role in lowering dementia risk by boosting immune responses.
Despite the promising findings, it's important to note that these studies are observational, meaning they show a strong connection but not absolute proof. The researchers stress the need for randomized clinical trials before making firm claims.
One intriguing finding from the study was the stronger reduction in dementia cases observed in women. The team learned that women had greater protective cognitive benefits from the shingles vaccine than men. In participants who actually got the shingles vaccine, the reduction in dementia risk jumped to 3.5 points, a 20% drop.
The study used health records from older adults in Wales and controlled for who actually got vaccinated. Anyone born on or after September 2, 1933 was eligible for the shingles vaccine, while those born just before weren't. The vaccination rate was 47.2% for the group eligible for the shingles vaccine, while the group just before the cutoff had a vaccination rate of 0.01%.
Overall, the study found that there were fewer dementia cases, with being eligible for the shingles vaccine cutting new dementia diagnoses by 1.3 percentage points, or about 8.5% fewer cases. The findings suggest a potential benefit of getting the shingles vaccine: protection for the brain.
Scientists are still trying to understand why the vaccine may protect against dementia, but the consistent association and biological plausibility make the link a promising area for further research. The 20% decrease reported by the Stanford-linked study likely reflects these combined effects observed in large population analyses over multi-year follow-ups.
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