Shingles Vaccine Linked to 20% Reduction in Dementia Risk
The Hague, Friday, 4 April 2025.
Research from Stanford University shows a 20% reduction in dementia risk for seniors receiving the shingles vaccine, highlighting an unexpected benefit alongside its primary use.
Groundbreaking Research Design
The Stanford University study, published in Nature on April 2, 2025, utilized a unique natural experiment in Wales, following over 280,000 seniors aged 71-88 [1][2]. The research tracked individuals based on a September 2013 vaccination policy that made the shingles vaccine available to those born on or after September 1, 1933 [3]. This created a clear distinction, with vaccination rates jumping dramatically from 0.01% among those born just before the cutoff date to 47.2% for those born afterward [4].
Mechanism and Gender Differences
According to Georges Verjans, Head Researcher at HerpeslabNL, Erasmus MC, the potential link between the shingles vaccine and reduced dementia risk may be explained by the virus’s behavior: it typically hides in nerves and can enter the brain, where dementia develops [1]. The study revealed that women experienced stronger protective benefits from the vaccination compared to men, potentially due to differences in immune responses [4].
Cost and Accessibility Challenges
Despite these promising findings, accessibility remains a significant hurdle in the Netherlands, where the vaccine is not included in the national vaccination program. Currently, individuals must pay between 400-500 euros for the required two doses [1][3]. The Dutch Health Council’s last evaluation in 2019 deemed the newer Shingrix vaccine effective but too costly for widespread implementation [3].
Future Implications
The findings are particularly significant given that approximately one in five people in the Netherlands is affected by dementia [3]. Pascal Geldsetzer plans to further investigate these results through a clinical trial using the same vaccine employed in the Welsh study [4]. However, it’s important to note that while this research shows a strong association, experts from Alzheimer Nederland emphasize the need for classic drug studies with control groups to definitively prove causation [1].