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(50,114 posts) Fri Apr 25, 2025, 08:44 PM Friday

Shingles Vaccine Appears to Lower Dementia Risk - WSJ

Mounting evidence suggests that vaccination against the varicella zoster virus—which causes chickenpox in children and triggers shingles in adults—also protects the brain.

Several recent studies suggest that the vaccines reduce the risk of dementia in older adults, but key questions remain, including: How the vaccines might work to stop or delay the condition, and whether the benefit is limited to people of a certain age.

The vaccines studied, Zostavax and Shingrix, both appeared to offer protection.

The latest study found that among 70- and 80-year-olds in Australia, people who were eligible to get the Zostavax shot were 1.8 percentage points less likely to get a dementia diagnosis in the next 7.4 years than those who were ineligible. The study was published in the journal JAMA Wednesday.

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https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/shingles-vaccine-appears-to-lower-dementia-risk-6acdcc23?st=Mp6wQq&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

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Shingles Vaccine Appears to Lower Dementia Risk - WSJ (Original Post) question everything Friday OP

hurrah! markie Friday #1

That's good! Delarage Friday #2

Shingles vax is perhaps the most likely to cause a reaction... buzzycrumbhunger Friday #3

Same. That was a rough one. callous taoboy Saturday #4

markie

(23,327 posts)

1. hurrah!

Reply to question everything (Original post)

Fri Apr 25, 2025, 08:47 PM

Friday

just got my second shingles shot 2 days ago... or was it last week.... or maybe I didn't get it....... just kidding... sound of mind and shingles free!!!

Delarage

(2,398 posts)

2. That's good!

Reply to question everything (Original post)

Fri Apr 25, 2025, 09:30 PM

Friday

Although that vaccine gave me some serious reactions---hot flashes, exhausted, miserable. But hopefully it was all worth it! I could have sworn I had a raging fever---but checked my temp and it was normal. Crazy. Never had a reaction to any vaccine like I did to that one....

buzzycrumbhunger

(1,097 posts)

3. Shingles vax is perhaps the most likely to cause a reaction...

Reply to Delarage (Reply #2)

Fri Apr 25, 2025, 09:37 PM

Friday

… like fever, soreness at the injection site, etc.

I figure it’s a sign that it’s having a good effect. I’m a pharmacy tech so am current on everything, and this was the only one that I really felt a reaction from (slightly sore arm for maybe two days, which I only noticed when I rolled over in bed onto that arm).

Much better than getting shingles! I decided I’d better get this series because a friend had her third episode of shingles—on her FACE—and was so miserable that I didn’t care to follow suit.

The fact that it has this added benefit of bolstering an aging brain is a nice bonus!

callous taoboy

(4,704 posts)

4. Same. That was a rough one.

Reply to Delarage (Reply #2)

Sat Apr 26, 2025, 06:30 AM

Saturday

I rarely get sick, anyway, but I felt very, very sick for a good 12 hours after my two rounds of this vaccine. People who I have known who’ve had shingles say it is miserable.

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