A big England study finds the shingles vaccine did not lower dementia
Researchers checked millions of English hospital records after a 2013 shingles vaccine rollout. People eligible for the vaccine got shingles less often, but showed no drop in dementia diagnoses.
Why it matters
Some earlier studies hinted that the shingles vaccine might also protect the brain from dementia, which raised a lot of hope. This large, carefully designed study looked for that same benefit and did not find it. It is a useful reality check: shingles vaccines are still worth getting to avoid a painful illness, but this evidence suggests they may not prevent dementia. Different vaccine types or longer follow-up could still tell another story.
Who's behind it: F. Hamilton and colleagues, University of Bristol and collaborators.
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