New Stanford Study: This Surprising Vaccine Could Significantly Reduce Your Dementia Risk

There might not be a surefire way to prevent dementia, but you can do a few things to lower your chances of diagnosis. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, this includes exercising regularly, following the DASH or Mediterranean diet, and maintaining strong relationships. Now, a study suggests another prevention method, and it’s a little unexpected: Getting the shingles vaccine.

A study published in the medical journal Nature says the herpes zoster virus, which is administered to prevent shingles, could help keep your brain sharp as you age.

Researchers at Stanford University examined the health record data for residents of Wales who were around 80 years old. They compared information for those born on or after September 2, 1933, when citizens first became eligible to receive the herpes zoster vaccine, with a group who were born shortly before that date and were therefore unable to receive the vaccine.

The study found that the vaccine reduced dementia risk by 20% over a seven-year follow-up period.

To back up the study’s results, the researchers also looked at death certificate data from England, as the country rolled out the shingles vaccine in a similar way as Wales. They reported: “We found that, over a nine-year follow-up period, approximately 1 in 20 [dementia-caused] deaths were averted from being eligible for zoster vaccination.”

Further, this review acknowledged that the shingles vaccine was more beneficial for women than for men. They speculate that this could be due to several things, including differences in immunological responses to vaccines and dementia development.

While more research is needed before healthcare providers can recommend the shingles vaccine as a way to prevent dementia, doctors do already urge patients over 50 years old, as well as those with a compromised immune system, to receive the vaccine, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Shingles stems from the same virus that causes chickenpox, and it typically presents as a painful rash or blisters. It can also cause fever, chills, stomach upset, and a burning sensation on the skin. If left untreated, it can potentially cause blindness, hearing issues, brain inflammation, and death.

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