Shingles Vaccine Reduces Dementia Risk by 20%

Context: A recent study from Wales, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, found that the shingles vaccine is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing dementia.

What is Dementia🧠?

• Dementia is a group of conditions characterised by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgment.
• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form (accounting for 60-80% of cases).
• Currently, there are no effective vaccines or cures for most forms of dementia.

Causes

Dementia results from damage to brain cells, which may be brought on by a variety of conditions. The most prevalent cause is Alzheimer’s disease (responsible for 60-80% of all cases). Other causes are:

• Vascular dementia (following stroke or decreased blood supply to the brain)
• Lewy body dementia
• Frontotemporal dementia
• Parkinson’s disease dementia
• Huntington’s disease
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Some reversible causes (e.g., vitamin deficiencies, thyroid disorders, infections) though relatively less frequent.

Impacts Cognitive Functions

It mainly affects:

• Memory: Difficulty remembering recent events, names, or conversations.
• Thinking & Reasoning: Problems with problem-solving, planning, and judgment.
• Language: Difficulty finding words, speaking, or comprehending conversations.
• Perception: Trouble identifying people or things.
• Behaviour & Personality: Mood, personality, or social behaviour changes.

What is Shingles🦠?

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a painful rash with blisters that is caused by a viral infection. It is brought about by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus responsible for chickenpox.

Cause

• Caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.
• After chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in nerve cells and can reactivate later.

Symptoms

• Painful rash is the most common symptom.
• Typically appears as a stripe of blisters on one side of the body (usually the torso).
• Other symptoms may include itching, burning, or tingling sensations before the rash appears.

Transmission

• Shingles itself is not contagious, but the virus can spread to someone who hasn’t had chickenpox.
• Spread occurs via direct contact with fluid from shingles blisters or inhalation of virus particles.

Complications

• Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN): Persistent pain even after the rash heals.
• If near the eye, it can cause vision loss.
• Rarely: May lead to facial paralysis or brain inflammation (encephalitis).

Mostly Found in

• Common in people over 50 years of age.
• Increased risk in those with weakened immune systems (e.g., HIV, cancer, organ transplant patients).

Prevention

Shingles vaccine (e.g., Shingrix) helps prevent reactivation of the virus.

• Recommended for adults 50+ years or younger adults with immunocompromised conditions.
• Antiviral medications (e.g., acyclovir, valacyclovir) to shorten the duration.
• Pain management with analgesics, topical creams, or nerve-blocking medications.

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