Cardiff, Wales – Residents of Wales born on either side of a specific date were studied to analyze the impact of a vaccine on dementia diagnoses. Researchers compared the use of preventative health services, past medical history, and education levels to determine the incidence of dementia in those born before and after September 2, 1933. The initial findings revealed that the vaccine had effectively reduced the occurrence of shingles, leading to a decrease in the risk of dementia diagnosis for those eligible for the vaccine.
Notably, eligibility for the vaccine was linked to a 1.3 percent reduction in the absolute risk of receiving a dementia diagnosis. This equated to an 8.5 percent decrease in relative risk, demonstrating a promising 20 percent reduction when accounting for those who did not receive the vaccine. To confirm the validity of these results, researchers conducted a difference-in-difference analysis which yielded comparable numbers. Additionally, further comparisons of common health outcomes between the two populations showed no significant changes, reinforcing the potential impact of the vaccine on dementia onset.
In a draft manuscript shared on Med arXiv, researchers discovered a similar protective effect of the shingles vaccine on deaths attributed to dementia using UK NHS data. These findings suggest a tangible benefit associated with the vaccine in reducing dementia-related mortality. The researchers proposed three potential explanations for this phenomenon, including the direct suppression of the varicella zoster virus reactivation, indirect effects on immune activity linked to dementia, or the possibility of shingles treatment influencing the onset or frequency of dementia diagnoses.
The implications of these findings are significant, hinting at a potential role of the shingles vaccine in mitigating the risk of dementia. With further research and exploration, these insights could pave the way for innovative approaches to dementia prevention and treatment. The study underscores the importance of vaccination in not only preventing common diseases like shingles but also potentially impacting complex neurological conditions like dementia. Through ongoing investigation and analysis, a clearer understanding of the vaccine’s impact on dementia could revolutionize healthcare practices and outcomes for individuals in Wales and beyond.