Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jun 16
RZV Cuts Dementia Risk 24% in Older Nursing Home Patients, Study Finds
Updated
Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jun 16
RZV Cuts Dementia Risk 24% in Older Nursing Home Patients, Study Finds
3 articles · Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jun 16
Summary
A dose of recombinant zoster vaccine within a year of nursing home entry or discharge was linked to a 5.8-percentage-point lower dementia diagnosis risk over the next four years.
The Annals of Internal Medicine study used Medicare and electronic health records to emulate a randomized trial in 509,926 adults aged 66 or older across 5,550 skilled nursing facilities.
Among eligible participants, 8,843 vaccinated patients—87% after discharge—were compared with 259,518 unvaccinated people after excluding anyone with prior dementia or who died.
The findings extend earlier observational research on the older live shingles vaccine, suggesting shingles vaccination may prevent about 1 in 17 dementia cases in this understudied population.
Is the shingles vaccine a new weapon against dementia, or do healthier people just get the shot?
How could a vaccine for a skin rash hold a key to preventing the onset of dementia?
Shingrix Vaccine Linked to 20% Lower Dementia Risk: Emerging Evidence, Mechanisms, and Public Health Implications
Overview
New research published in 2026 shows that the Shingrix vaccine, used to prevent shingles, is linked to a significantly lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Studies from Brown University and Kaiser Permanente Southern California both support this finding, showing that people vaccinated against shingles are less likely to develop dementia. Importantly, the Brown University study was funded by GlaxoSmithKline but maintained research independence. While these results are promising, researchers note that more studies are needed to confirm the benefits for all groups, as current findings may not apply to everyone.