Zoster Vaccine Tips: New Study Shows Reduced Dementia Risk

Shingles Vaccine Linked to Reduced Dementia Risk

Researchers have found that a shingles vaccine may be linked to a reduction in dementia diagnoses , providing hope for delaying the condition . The study conducted in the US medical records indicates that the vaccine not only prevents shingles but could also delay the onset of dementia , the leading cause of death in the UK . Dr. Maxime Taquet from the University of Oxford , the lead author of the study , believes that the results support the theory that shingles vaccination may have a role in preventing dementia . The researchers studied over 200,000 US citizens who were vaccinated for shingles , with half of them receiving the newer vaccine Shingrix.

The study revealed that individuals who received Shingrix had a 17 % lower risk of developing dementia than those who received the older vaccine Zostavax . This difference translated to an extra 164 days , or nearly six months , lived without the condition . The effect was more pronounced in women , with a 22 % risk reduction compared to 13 % in men . The researchers also compared the dementia rates in people who received other vaccines , finding that those who received Shingrix had a 23 to 27 % lower risk of dementia compared to other vaccinations.

New Shingles Vaccine Shows Promise in Reducing Dementia Risk

The latest shingles vaccine , Shingrix , has been shown to be more effective at delaying or even preventing dementia than the older vaccine Zostavax . Shingles , caused by the varicella - zoster virus , can lead to a painful rash in individuals who have previously had chickenpox . The risk of shingles increases with age , prompting health experts to recommend vaccination for older adults . The recombinant vaccine Shingrix , which was introduced in 2017 , has been found to reduce the risk of developing dementia by 17 % more than the older live virus - based vaccine Zostavax.

The reasons behind the reduced risk of dementia with Shingrix are still unclear , but researchers believe that the vaccine 's effectiveness in protecting against the herpes zoster virus , which causes shingles , may also play a role in warding off dementia . The study conducted by Maxime Taquet and his team at the University of Oxford analyzed the medical records of over 100,000 individuals who received the shingles vaccine before and after the introduction of Shingrix . The results showed that those who were immunized with Shingrix after 2017 were significantly less likely to develop dementia over the next six years compared to those vaccinated with Zostavax.

While the study provides promising results , further research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind the potential protective effect of the shingles vaccine on dementia . The findings highlight the importance of vaccination in reducing the risk of debilitating conditions like dementia and emphasize the need for continued investigation into the potential benefits of preventive vaccines.