Imagine if protecting yourself from a painful skin condition could also help lower your chances of developing dementia. That’s exactly what a new study from Stanford University School of Medicine has found—revealing that the shingles vaccine may offer unexpected benefits far beyond what it was originally designed for.
Published in the prestigious journal Nature, the study suggests that getting vaccinated against shingles could reduce the risk of dementia by up to 20%. Even more interesting? Women appear to benefit more from this protective effect than men.
The Study That Sparked a Big Discovery
The research analyzed the medical records of over 280,000 older adults in Wales, aged between 71 and 88, who were eligible for the shingles vaccine starting in 2013. To study the impact as accurately as possible, scientists used a “natural experiment” approach. Instead of relying on self-selection or lifestyle variables, they compared two similar groups: one that barely qualified for the vaccine and another that just missed the eligibility cutoff.
Specifically, they focused on people who turned 80 just before September 1, 2013—right when the shingles vaccination program began in Wales. This allowed researchers to see how the vaccine impacted long-term health outcomes while minimizing bias from individual lifestyle choices.
What They Found: Dementia Risk Dropped by 20%
Over a follow-up period of seven years, the researchers made a fascinating discovery. People who received the shingles vaccine were:
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37% less likely to get shingles, and
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20% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia.
To put it in perspective, the vaccine reduced the likelihood of developing dementia by 3.5 percentage points—a significant drop when applied to large populations.
By the year 2020, about one in eight adults aged 86 or 87 had been diagnosed with dementia. But among those who had received the shingles vaccine, that rate was notably lower.
Why Might the Shingles Vaccine Help the Brain?
The connection between a shingles vaccine and reduced dementia risk may seem surprising at first. But there’s growing evidence that certain viruses can damage the nervous system and potentially increase the risk of neurodegenerative conditions like dementia.
Shingles, medically known as herpes zoster, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus—the same one responsible for chickenpox. After someone recovers from chickenpox, the virus can remain dormant in the body and reactivate years later as shingles, often causing painful rashes and nerve damage.
Researchers suspect that this virus, when reactivated, may cause inflammation or other harmful effects in the brain. By preventing the virus from reawakening, the shingles vaccine may also help protect brain health.
Women Showed Stronger Protection—Here’s Why
One of the most striking aspects of the study was the finding that women appeared to benefit more from the vaccine’s protective effect than men. While the reasons aren’t yet fully understood, it’s likely related to biological differences in how men and women respond to vaccines.
Women are known to have stronger immune responses, often producing more antibodies after vaccination. Interestingly, shingles is also more common in women, which could mean the vaccine is preventing a more prevalent issue in that group—leading to a more noticeable benefit.
A Possible Breakthrough in Dementia Prevention
Dementia is a growing global health challenge, affecting millions of people around the world and placing immense strain on families, caregivers, and healthcare systems. Despite years of research, effective ways to prevent the disease remain limited.
This new study could open the door to an affordable, already-available preventive measure. If future research confirms the findings, shingles vaccination could potentially be added to public health strategies aimed at reducing dementia risk.
While the study stops short of recommending the vaccine solely as a tool for dementia prevention, it does strongly support the idea that vaccines—especially those targeting viruses with neurological impacts—could play a bigger role in brain health than previously thought.
What This Means for You
If you’re over 70—or approaching that age—it may be time to talk to your doctor about the shingles vaccine. While its primary goal is to protect you from a painful and often debilitating viral infection, it could also offer the added bonus of protecting your brain.
For younger readers, this research highlights the fascinating and still-evolving relationship between infectious diseases and chronic conditions like dementia. It’s a reminder that sometimes, preventing one illness can have unexpected benefits in other areas of health.
And for everyone, it shows the power of vaccination—not just in fighting infections, but possibly in protecting long-term cognitive function as well.
In Summary:
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The shingles vaccine may reduce dementia risk by 20%, especially in women.
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Researchers studied over 280,000 older adults in Wales over seven years.
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Vaccinated individuals were also 37% less likely to develop shingles.
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The protective effect might be due to reduced viral reactivation and inflammation in the brain.
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Women may benefit more due to stronger immune responses.
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The findings could influence future strategies for dementia prevention.
As science continues to explore the connection between infections and brain health, this study offers a promising new avenue—one that could help millions age with greater clarity and quality of life.
