A relatively mundane middle-aged rite of passage — shingles vaccination — might offer an added benefit: protection against or even the slowing of the progression of dementia.
Over the past several years, a growing body of research has suggested that immunization against shingles may reduce the risk of dementia by up to 20%. Now, a new study adds a tantalizing twist: The vaccine may also have a therapeutic effect in those who already have the condition. This wasn’t a modest effect, either — the shot appeared to lower the risk of death associated with dementia over the course of almost a decade by nearly 30%.
The findings are yet another reminder of the remarkable and often unexpected ways that vaccines can protect us well beyond their intended role of preventing infection. And if the findings hold up in more rigorous studies, the results could point to a relatively inexpensive and widely available tool with the potential to meaningfully improve population health. That would be an astounding development.