A recent study has revealed that receiving the shingles vaccine could potentially reduce the risk of developing dementia.
The research, published in the prestigious journal Nature, indicates that the shingles vaccine may decrease dementia risk by nearly 20%.
Dementia currently affects over 57 million people worldwide, with experts projecting this number to almost triple in the next quarter-century. The prevalence of dementia has surged by 117% between 1990 and 2016, and specialists anticipate the global count to reach approximately 150 million by 2050.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), managing conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure, eating a healthy diet, and leading an active lifestyle can lower the risk of dementia. It is recognized, nevertheless, that risks brought on by aging or genetic factors are still out of a person’s control.
Recent studies have shown a correlation between viral infections, especially those impacting the nervous system, and an increased risk of dementia.
Researchers utilized health policy data from Wales, which implemented a live attenuated shingles vaccine in 2013. At that time, anyone over 79 born after September 1, 1933, was eligible for the vaccine, while those born before that date were not.
The study team created two age-matched groups by selecting individuals born within a week before and after September 1, 1933. They monitored these participants’ health status over seven years. During the seven-year follow-up, 35,037 individuals received a dementia diagnosis. Those vaccinated against shingles showed a 3.5% lower likelihood of being diagnosed with dementia. Interestingly, this protective effect was more pronounced in women than in men.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that the shingles vaccine could reduce the risk of dementia.
Most Commented