{"id":124067,"date":"2026-06-22T12:26:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T07:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pni.net.pk\/en\/?p=124067"},"modified":"2026-06-22T12:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T07:28:10","slug":"shingles-vaccine-linked-to-lower-dementia-risk-among-older-adults-in-nursing-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pni.net.pk\/en\/latest-health-news\/shingles-vaccine-linked-to-lower-dementia-risk-among-older-adults-in-nursing-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Shingles vaccine linked to lower dementia risk among older adults in nursing care"},"content":{"rendered":"

ISLAMABAD, June 22 (ONLINE):<\/strong> A new study involving more than 500,000 Medicare beneficiaries has found that older adults who received the recombinant shingles vaccine (RZV), marketed as Shingrix, had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia compared with those who were not vaccinated.<\/p>\n

Researchers found that vaccination was associated with a 24% relative reduction in dementia risk over a four-year period. This translated into an absolute risk reduction of approximately six percentage points compared with unvaccinated individuals. The protective association remained significant even after researchers adjusted for a wide range of demographic and health-related factors, suggesting the findings were not solely due to differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.<\/p>\n

While the study adds to growing evidence linking shingles vaccination to a reduced risk of dementia, researchers caution that it does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.<\/p>\n

Interest in the broader health benefits of shingles vaccination has grown in recent years, particularly among older adults who face a higher risk of developing shingles. Previous studies have suggested that shingles vaccines may not only reduce dementia risk but also slow disease progression among people already diagnosed with dementia.<\/p>\n

Earlier research conducted in Wales and Australia found that adults who received the older live-attenuated shingles vaccine, Zostavax, experienced a lower risk of dementia. However, Zostavax was discontinued in the United States in 2020 and replaced by the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV), known as Shingrix.<\/p>\n

To determine whether the newer vaccine offered similar benefits, researchers examined dementia outcomes among older adults who were not up to date on shingles vaccination. The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine<\/em>, showed that residents of U.S. skilled nursing facilities who received at least one dose of Shingrix were less likely to develop dementia over the following four years than those who remained unvaccinated.<\/p>\n

The study was conducted by researchers from Brown University School of Public Health and collaborating institutions. They analyzed Medicare claims and electronic health record data from adults aged 66 and older who were admitted to more than 5,500 skilled nursing facilities across the United States between 2017 and 2022. Of the 509,926 participants included in the study, 8,843 received the Shingrix vaccine.<\/p>\n

Using a research method known as a \u201ctarget trial emulation,\u201d investigators attempted to replicate the conditions of a randomized clinical trial using real-world health data. Participants had no prior dementia diagnosis and were eligible to receive Shingrix. Researchers compared residents who received at least one vaccine dose within 12 months of entering a skilled nursing facility with similar residents who did not receive the vaccine.<\/p>\n

During the four-year follow-up period, only 18.8% of vaccinated participants developed dementia, compared with 24.6% of unvaccinated individuals. According to lead study author Dr. Kaley Hayes, Assistant Professor at Brown University\u2019s School of Public Health, the findings suggest that \u201cas many as one in every 17 dementia diagnoses may be prevented through shingles vaccination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Hayes noted that the exact reasons behind the association remain uncertain. One possible explanation is that preventing shingles infections reduces neuroinflammation and lowers stroke risk, both of which have been linked to dementia. Another theory is that the vaccine\u2019s immune-stimulating effects may provide broader neurological benefits.<\/p>\n

The recombinant shingles vaccine is already recommended for adults aged 50 and older, as well as younger individuals with weakened immune systems. Although experts say it is too early to recommend the vaccine specifically for dementia prevention, the findings add to growing evidence that vaccination may provide health benefits beyond protection against infectious diseases.<\/p>\n

Researchers also suggest that preventing shingles and reducing viral reactivation may help protect the brain from inflammation and other neurological effects associated with the varicella-zoster virus. Additionally, vaccine adjuvants\u2014ingredients that strengthen immune responses\u2014could potentially contribute to lower dementia risk.<\/p>\n

Despite the encouraging results, experts stress that the study has important limitations. Because it was observational, unmeasured differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals may have influenced the outcomes. Vaccinated participants generally tended to be younger and healthier, factors that could independently reduce dementia risk. However, the association remained significant after extensive statistical adjustments.<\/p>\n

The study also highlighted relatively low vaccination rates among nursing facility residents, a population already at elevated risk for both shingles and dementia. Researchers say additional clinical trials are needed to determine whether shingles vaccination directly reduces dementia risk and to better understand the biological mechanisms involved.<\/p>\n

The authors disclosed that the study received funding from GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Shingrix. However, they emphasized that the company had no role in the study design, data analysis, interpretation of results, or decision to publish the findings.<\/p>\n

For now, health experts continue to recommend shingles vaccination primarily as an effective means of preventing shingles and its complications, while its potential role in dementia prevention remains an active and promising area of scientific research.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ISLAMABAD, June 22 (ONLINE): A new study involving more than 500,000 Medicare beneficiaries has found that older adults who received the recombinant shingles vaccine (RZV), marketed as Shingrix, had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia compared with those who were not vaccinated. Researchers found […]<\/p>\n

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