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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Your shingles shot might also be protecting your brain. A new study of over 500,000 Medicare beneficiaries found that older adults who received the Shingrix vaccine had a 24% lower risk of developing dementia over four years compared to unvaccinated peers. Researchers estimate this could translate to roughly one dementia case prevented for every 17 people vaccinated.
Your shingles shot might also be protecting your brain. A large new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that older adults who received at least one dose of the Shingrix (RZV) shingles vaccine had a 24% lower relative risk of being diagnosed with dementia over four years compared to those who went unvaccinated. The research, led by Brown University's School of Public Health, analyzed Medicare claims and electronic health records from more than 500,000 adults aged 66 and older admitted to skilled nursing facilities between 2017 and 2022.
Researchers used a method called target trial emulation to mimic the conditions of a randomized clinical trial. While vaccinated participants tended to be slightly younger and healthier — factors that were adjusted for — the association held up. Scientists believe shingles vaccination may reduce dementia risk by curbing neuroinflammation or lowering stroke vulnerability, though the exact mechanism remains unclear. Experts note that more research, including clinical trials, is needed to confirm a causal link.
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Why it matters: Dementia affects millions of older adults with no cure in sight. If a widely available, already-recommended vaccine like Shingrix can meaningfully reduce dementia risk, it could become a powerful — and accessible — tool in cognitive health prevention.
