New Shingles Vaccine May Delay Dementia, Says Research

A recent study published in Nature Medicine suggests that the latest shingles vaccine may help delay the onset of dementia. According to the research, people who received the new vaccine lived an average of 164 days longer without a dementia diagnosis compared to those who got older shingles vaccines.

Expert Opinions

Dr. Celine Gounder, a medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, expressed excitement about the findings on ‘CBS Mornings.’ She highlighted that the vaccine is already approved, widely available, and covered by insurance, making it a promising tool for dementia prevention.

Dr. Sheona Scales, the director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, emphasized the importance of finding new ways to reduce the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s, which cause dementia. She noted that further research is needed to understand how the vaccine might be reducing this risk.

CDC Recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone should get the two-dose shingles vaccine starting at age 50. Dr. Gounder raised questions about whether earlier vaccination might be beneficial and if more doses would be needed.

Overall Health Tips

Preventing dementia later in life involves maintaining overall health. Dr. Gounder advised controlling blood pressure, avoiding diabetes through a good diet and exercise, managing diabetes well if you have it, and quitting smoking. She also mentioned that minimizing exposure to air pollution, especially from wildfire smoke, is important.