Major Breakthrough: Vaccine Against Common Skin Condition May Reduce Dementia Risk

Getting the shingles vaccine could reduce your risk of developing dementia by 17%, a new study shows.

Shingles (or herpes zoster) is a common condition that causes a painful skin rash, and it often occurs as people get older. It can sometimes lead to serious problems, such as deafness, long-term pain and blindness.

The study, which included more than 200,000 people, revealed that the disease vaccine Shingrix "significantly" reduced the chances of being diagnosed with dementia six years after vaccination, compared to the previously used vaccine Zostavax. 

This increase is equivalent to five to nine months of dementia-free life for those who received Shingrix compared to other vaccines, the Oxford University researchers said.

Both men and women benefited from the new vaccine, but the effects were greater in women.

“The size and nature of this study make these findings compelling, and should stimulate further research,” said study leader Maxime Tackett, an academic clinical lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford.

“If validated in clinical trials, these findings could have significant implications for older people, health services and public health,” he added.

The research team said the vaccine dose delays the onset of dementia rather than preventing it completely, although more study is needed.

“One possibility is that infection with the herpes zoster virus (shingles) may increase the risk of dementia, and so by inhibiting the virus, the vaccine could help reduce this risk,” said John Todd, professor of precision medicine at the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford. “The vaccine also contains chemicals that may have separate beneficial effects on brain health.”

"The results are interesting and encouraging," said Paul Harrison, professor of psychiatry, who led the study. "Anything that might reduce the risk of dementia is welcome, given the large and growing number of people affected."

It is worth noting that evidence suggests that Shingrix, made by GlaxoSmithKline, can provide protection for at least 10 years against shingles after the first dose.

The results were published in the journal Nature Medicine.