A new study links the shingles vaccine to a lower chance of developing dementia by reducing episodes of viral reactivation. That idea matters because it points to a modifiable risk factor: an available vaccine could alter a biological pathway that influences brain health over years. Thinking about dementia through the lens of infection and immune response opens different avenues for prevention and care.
Follow the full article to see how these findings might change public health strategies and individual choices. The connection between vaccines, chronic inflammation, and long-term cognitive outcomes raises questions about who benefits most, how early protection should start, and what this means for equity in access to preventive treatments.
A large new study has revealed a possible explanation for why the shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of developing dementia. Researchers found that the vaccine helps prevent reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox and shingles -…