A recent study published in the journal Nature found that older adults who received the shingles vaccine had a 20% lower risk of developing dementia over the next seven years. Researchers say the results support an emerging theory that viruses affecting the nervous system can increase the risk of dementia. The study looked at health records from over 280,000 seniors in Wales and compared those who received the vaccine with those who did not.
The shingles vaccine was introduced in Wales in 2013, specifically for adults aged 79. By comparing people who turned 80 just before and after the rollout, researchers aimed to minimize bias and find a natural experiment. The study revealed that those who received the vaccine were less likely to develop dementia than those who did not.
The findings suggest that a preventive intervention for dementia is close at hand. Scientists believe that viruses affecting the nervous system may increase the risk of dementia, and the shingles vaccine could be a key to preventing it. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the mechanism behind this protective effect.
Notably, the study showed that protection against dementia was more pronounced in women than in men, possibly due to differences in antibody responses and the prevalence of shingles among women. The researchers plan to conduct larger trials to provide stronger proof of cause and effect.
Source: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/those-who-got-shingles-vaccine-were-20-less-likely-to-get-dementia