Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds

Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia

Woman getting vaccinated
'We don’t really have much else at the moment that slows down the onset of dementia'
(Image credit: Cavan Images via Getty Images)

What happened

Getting vaccinated against shingles appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. The study, based on the health records of 280,000 people in Wales, found that those who received an older live-virus vaccine, Zostavax, were 20% less likely to develop dementia within seven years than those not vaccinated.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.