Sometimes the most aware allies appear where they are not waiting. Scientists have recently found that the vaccine from shingles can significantly reduce the risk of dementia - one of the most destructive brain diseases.
A new research published in Nature shows that vaccination against a gingerbread virus can be unexpected not only for the immune system but also for the brain. Pascal Heldsetzetz, Professor of Stanford University Medicine, together with a team of researchers, presented data that can significantly reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly.
Singing lichen, or shingles herpes, occurs when the Varicella-Zoster virus, which causes chicken pox, is reactivated in the body. This disease mostly affects people over 50 and is often manifested by a painful rash. The activity of the virus in the nervous system has long been suspected that it can contribute to the development of neurological problems, including reducing cognitive functions. However, new research results indicate that the vaccine against this virus can help prevent the development of dementia. According to the US Centers and Prevention Centers (CDC), the Shingrix vaccine, which effectively prevents shingles, has shown a striking efficiency of more than 90%. But now a new perspective has emerged - this vaccine can also be effective in the fight against dementia. The research conducted by Stanford scientists included the analysis of medical cards of more than 280,000 people who had no diagnosis of dementia at the time of the study. Scientists have found that among those who have been vaccinated against shingles, the level of new cases of dementia decreased by 20%. Particularly striking were the results for women where the effect was even stronger, which may be due to biological differences between sexes. In addition, the analysis of medical records from countries such as England, Australia, New Zealand and Canada has further confirmed the results. This increases the hope that the vaccine can become an important tool in combating dementia at global level.
Dementia is a serious problem for millions of people around the world. Up to 42% of Americans over 55 can develop dementia. If the results of this study are confirmed in further clinical trials, vaccination can be one of the most effective ways to prevent dementia, reducing the risk of the disease by 20%.
Now that there are little effective treatments for dementia, vaccination news as possible protection against this disease have become a real breakthrough. Scientists emphasize the importance of further research to finally confirm the cause and effect, but the first results are already giving great hopes that the vaccine from shingles can be an important element in the strategy of maintaining brain health in older age.
