Article Could a vaccine prevent dementia? Shingles shot data only getting stronger.

[C C]

https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/02/c...-stronger/

INTRO: While lifesaving vaccines face a relentless onslaught from the Trump administration—with fervent anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leading the charge—scientific literature is building a wondrous story: A vaccine appears to prevent dementia, including Alzheimer’s, and may even slow biological aging.

For years, study after study has noted that older adults vaccinated against shingles seemed to have a lower risk of dementia. A study last month suggested the same vaccine appears to slow biological aging, including lowering markers of inflammation.

“Our study adds to a growing body of work suggesting that vaccines may play a role in healthy aging strategies beyond solely preventing acute illness,” study author Eileen Crimmins, of the University of Southern California, said.

Another study this month suggested the positive findings against dementia from the past may even be underestimates of the vaccination’s potential, with a newer vaccine against shingles providing even more protection.

If the dementia protection is real, it’s a fluke. The vaccine was designed for the entirely unrelated task of keeping the varicella-zoster virus—the cause of chickenpox (varicella)—from reactivating and causing an agonizing rash.. (MORE - details)

[Zinjanthropos]

If you don’t like vaxxing then at least try rosemary oil. My 90+ year old mother swears by it. Puts a little in her tea. Been doing that for at least last10 yrs.

https://theconversation.com/rosemary-has...ers-256920

[Magical Realist]

Great news! A vaccine to prevent dementia would be a game changer world wide.

[Syne]

Persistent, chronic pain is associated with an increased risk of dementia and faster cognitive decline in older adults, likely due to shared mechanisms like neuroinflammation or brain structure changes. Studies suggest that chronic pain—lasting over three months—can accelerate memory loss, with risks increasing based on the number of body sites affected.
- Google AI

So it may have more to do with the pain of shingles than the vaccine itself.
Lucky, I quickly figured out how to manage my shingles without a doctor or meds.