New research shows an unexpected link between shingles vaccination and lower dementia risk By Kristen Dalli of ConsumerAffairs July 17, 2025 A shingles vaccine was tied to a 20% drop in new dementia cases over seven years. The U.K. rollout created a natural experiment using birthdate eligibility. Reduction was especially strong in women, beyond the effects on shingles itself. Researchers at Stanford Medicine dove into health records from older adults in Wales to explore the link between the shingles vaccine and the risk of dementia. They focused on those eligible for the live-attenuated shingles vaccine (Zostavax) based on an exact birthdate cutoff: anyone born on or after September 2, 1933 was eligible, while those born just before werent. Because both groups were nearly identical in age, health, and behavior except for vaccine eligibility this setup acted like a natural randomized trial. The result? Receiving the shingles… ...[TheTopNews] Read More.
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