Study Finds Shingles Possibly Linked to Cognitive Impairment
Brain Health and the Shingles-Dementia Link
It turns out that the pesky virus causing shingles could have far-reaching effects on our long-term brain health. Fresh research hints that shingles might increase the risk of cognitive decline, perhaps making a compelling case for the shingles vaccine as a potential dementia preventative.
Did you know that shingles is like a restrung version of the varicella zoster virus (VSV) that torments us with chickenpox as kids and young adults? After you recover, the virus likes to tuck itself away in your nervous system, only to reemerge decades later in one out of every three individuals, causing shingles. And let's be real, shingles ain't no walk in the park - it flares up with agonizing nerve pain, rashes, and misery for a whopping five weeks. For some, the pain can hang around for years.
While some researchers have suggested there's a connection between VSV lurking in the brain and cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's and dementia, the link is still up for debate. But new studies are definitely giving it a fighting chance. A team at Brigham and Women's Hospital dove into the fray, analyzing data from thousands of healthcare professionals to investigate the potential relationship.
In the study they published on Tuesday in Alzheimer's Research & Therapy, they found that shingles patients were noticeably more likely to report cognitive decline. Even after considering other risk factors, shingles was linked to a 20% higher risk of cognitive decline in both men and women. The risk was even higher for men with the genetic variation APOE4, known to boost Alzheimer's risk.
Now, one study can't prove a causal link, but it keeps the ball rolling on the shingles-dementia connection. For instance, researchers in the UK recently found that the Shingrix vaccine, the latest powerhouse shingles vaccine, was associated with a lower dementia risk over a six-year period. That's not all - this vaccine is already highly effective at banishing shingles for at least seven years.
Curhan, an assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, told Gizmodo that their findings highlight "the importance of public health efforts for prevention." With about one in three Americans over 50 expected to get shingles without vaccination, prevention might be more beneficial than we thought. Not only does it spare you the misery of shingles, but it could keep your brain in tip-top shape as you age.
In the bigger picture, ongoing research on the potential protective effects of shingles vaccines, like Shingrix, against dementia is shedding light on new avenues for dementia prevention. Stay tuned!
- The link between shingles, caused by the varicella zoster virus (VSV), and cognitive decline, such as dementia, is questionable but new studies like the one from Brigham and Women's Hospital are providing compelling evidence.
- Current research suggests that shingles patients may experience a higher risk of cognitive decline, with shingles being associated with a 20% increased risk in both men and women, and an even higher risk for men with the genetic variation APOE4.
- Meanwhile, studies from researchers in the UK have observed a lower dementia risk over a six-year period for those who receive the Shingrix vaccine, which is already highly effective at preventing shingles for at least seven years.
- As the studies on the potential protective effects of shingles vaccines like Shingrix against dementia continue, they are illuminating new pathways for dementia prevention, emphasizing the importance of public health efforts focused on vaccine prevention to enhance brain health in the future.
