If you needed another compelling reason to get a shingles vaccine, look no further: The two-dose series of shots may also help prevent or delay dementia.
A new study published in April in the journal JAMA examined data from the health records of about 280,000 older adults across Australia, comparing a group of individuals who received a free shingles vaccine with another group that was slightly too old to qualify for the free vaccine program. Researchers found that over a period of 7.4 years, the vaccinated group was about 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the unvaccinated group, showing correlation but not causation.
According to the New York Times, it's the most compelling evidence to date that the shingles vaccine may reduce dementia risk. While researchers have noted the link between the shingles vaccine and dementia in previous studies, they also had to account for healthier lifestyles and other characteristics that are known to lower dementia risk.
Researchers theorize that the shingles vaccine prevents the neuroinflammation that occurs when the varicella-zoster virus, which causes both chicken pox and shingles, reactivates after decades of dormancy. The vaccine may also deliver a protective effect when it activates the immune system.
But even without the anti-dementia benefits, the shingles vaccine is a good choice for most older adults. Shingles rashes can be excruciatingly painful and if left untreated, can cause complications like postherpetic neuralgia, or intense nerve pain, or permanent eye damage. *