US EditionA Routine Shingles Shot May Offer Powerful Defense Against Dementia
Study of over 282,500 older adults in Wales found shingles vaccination reduced mild cognitive impairment incidence by 3.1 percentage points and halved dementia-related deaths.
- Tuesday, a follow-up study in the journal Cell using Welsh health records of more than 282,500 older adults suggests the shingles vaccine may slow dementia progression and halve dementia-related deaths.
- Because the program began on September 1, 2013, researchers used the eligibility cutoff making people age 79 eligible for one year while those age 80 were not, creating a natural experiment.
- The data show precise impacts, with eligibility reducing MCI incidence by 1.5 percentage points and vaccination cutting it by 3.1, based on about 20,700 adults diagnosed with MCI and around 7,000 seniors with dementia who died.
- Researchers caution but note therapeutic promise, saying Pascal Geldsetzer plans funding for a randomized clinical trial as the inexpensive shingles vaccine could have major clinical care implications.
- Possible explanations include immune boosting and reduced viral reactivation, as mechanisms involve viral reactivation, nervous-system inflammation, and immune boost; protective effects are stronger in women, and researchers caution findings may not generalize to Shingrix since the study used Zostavax.
31 Articles
31 Articles
A routine shingles shot may offer powerful defense against dementia
A unique vaccine rollout in Wales gave researchers an accidental natural experiment that revealed a striking reduction in dementia among seniors who received the shingles vaccine. The protective effect held steady across multiple analyses and was even stronger in women. Evidence also suggests benefits for people who already have dementia, hinting at a therapeutic effect.
A comprehensive US study shows that vaccination against shingles could significantly reduce the risk of dementia.
A comprehensive US study shows that vaccination against shingles could significantly reduce the risk of dementia.
A Dementia Vaccine May Be Possible, and Some Individuals Might Have Already Received It Unwittingly
A recent investigation by Stanford University in the US suggests that the shingles vaccine may decrease the risk of dementia by 20 percent or slow its progression after diagnosis. If these results are validated in future research, there is already a vaccine available that could help in preventing and managing dementia, affecting an estimated 57 [...] The post A Dementia Vaccine May Be Possible, and Some Individuals Might Have Already Received It…
Gustavo PachecoFor years, vaccines have been studied for their ability to prevent infections.Now, one of them could have an unexpected effect: slowing the evolution of dementia in people who already live with the disease.This is suggested by a recent analysis published in Cell, which opens a possible line of research on the impact of immunization on long-term brain health.
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