Vaccination Against Shingles Reduces Dementia Risk
- The risk of dying from dementia can be reduced by 30 percent by getting vaccinated against shingles.
- The vaccination program included 14,350 people with dementia, who were followed for a decade after some of them had received the vaccine.After nine years, half of the elderly...
- The study is a follow-up study of results published in Nature in April, which shows that a vaccine also reduces the risk of developing dementia at all.
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INNOVATION
Shingles Vaccine Considerably Reduces Dementia Mortality, Major UK Study Finds
Vaccinations of thousands of elderly people in the UK show that the risk of dying from dementia can be significantly reduced. The key: Shingles vaccine.
The risk of dying from dementia can be reduced by 30 percent by getting vaccinated against shingles. That’s according to the results of a major vaccination program in Wales,which has been published in the journal Cell.
The vaccination program included 14,350 people with dementia, who were followed for a decade after some of them had received the vaccine.After nine years, half of the elderly had died of the disease, but survival was thus higher among the vaccinated.
The study is a follow-up study of results published in Nature in April, which shows that a vaccine also reduces the risk of developing dementia at all.
Origin of Chicken Pox
In recent years, understanding has grown regarding the connection between the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox, and the development of shingles and, perhaps, dementia. Here’s a breakdown:
- Chickenpox: Most people contract chickenpox in childhood. The VZV remains dormant in nerve cells after the initial infection.
- Shingles: Later in life, the virus can reactivate as shingles, a painful rash.
- VZV and the Brain: Research suggests that VZV reactivation in the brain, even without a visible shingles rash, may contribute to neuroinflammation and increase the risk of dementia.
What the Study Showed
The Welsh study provides compelling evidence of a protective affect of the shingles vaccine against dementia mortality. Researchers analyzed data from over 14,000 individuals with dementia who participated in a large-scale shingles vaccination program. The key findings include:
| Outcome | Vaccinated Group | Unvaccinated Group |
|---|---|---|
| Mortality Rate (9 years) | Approximately 50% | Approximately 70% |
| Relative Risk Reduction | 30% | N/A |
This 30% reduction in mortality is statistically significant and suggests a substantial benefit of vaccination.
Why This Matters: The Link Between Shingles and Dementia
The connection between shingles and dementia is increasingly recognized. Several theories attempt to explain this link:
- Chronic Inflammation: VZV reactivation can cause chronic inflammation in the brain, damaging neurons and contributing to cognitive decline.
- Vascular Damage: The virus may also damage blood vessels in the brain,reducing blood flow and increasing the risk of vascular dementia.
- Immune Response: The body’s immune response to the virus may also play a role in neuroinflammation.
Who is Affected?
The findings are especially relevant for:
- Elderly Individuals: The risk of