An unrelated vaccine can significantly lower the risk of developing dementia

Alzheimer's disease

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A popular theory pertaining to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the precursor to dementia, factors the cause of the buildup of amyloid plaques.

The role of viruses

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Among a number of theories pertaining to amyloid plaque buildup, a new study offers another explanation, tying certain viruses to the development of dementia.

Vaccine in use

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The positive aspect to this study's conclusion is that the virus in question already has a vaccine that is not only in use, but is also proven to be effective.

Shingles vaccine

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According to a recent study, older adults who received the shingles vaccine were over 20% less likely to develop dementia.

Stanford Medicine

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A senior researcher that conducted the study, hosted by Stanford Medicine, said the evidence was quite jarring and surprising to researchers.

Chickenpox

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Varicella-zoster is the virus behind shingles and chickenpox. Most of us contract chickenpox in our youth.

Reemerges as shingles

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When varicella-zoster reactivates, it doesn’t come back as chickenpox, but rather emerges anew, as shingles.

Vaccine effective

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Shingles itself is not deadly, but can cause other complications. Given the high risk of older adults developing the condition, the shingles vaccine is quite effective in preventing the emergence of the disease.

Tying the different elements together

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So what's the tie between cognitive decline, developing shingles, the shingles vaccine, and dementia? Here's where the newest study comes in.

Shingles increases risk of disease development

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A 2024 study found that just having shingles once can increase the risk of developing cognitive decline by around 20%, a significant percentage.

Controversial studies

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Previous studies were a bit controversial, as they argued that those who received the vaccine were also overall healthier, or at least more health conscious. Therefore, vaccine recipients already had a reduced risk of developing dementia.

Conditions created for study to emerge

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Due to the shortage, Wales only offered the shingles vaccine to those 79 years old. The next year, the vaccine would be offered to those 78, and so on and so forth.

Comparing dementia rates

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Scientists spent more than seven years looking at the dementia rates of those aged 80 just before the ration was instituted, corresponding to the age group deemed ineligible to receive the vaccine. Scientists compared those rates to the group that was vaccinated and had turned 80 following the year of vaccine distribution.

Lower disease rates by 20%

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Of those who received the vaccine, dementia rates were 20% lower. There were no significant lifestyle or health conditions that differentiated the two groups.

Women have a higher antibody response

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The study also showed that the effects of the vaccine in providing protection against dementia was even stronger in women than in men, as women had a higher antibody response.

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