Palm Springs, CA

A growing body of research suggests that shingles vaccines, including Zostavax and Shingrix, may offer an unexpected benefit: a reduced risk of cognitive decline later in life.

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for childhood chicken pox. After a person recovers from chicken pox, the virus doesn’t disappear. Instead, it settles quietly in the nerve cells, often for decades. As individuals age, or if their immune system weakens, this once-silent virus can reactivate and cause shingles, a condition marked by nerve pain and blistering rashes.

The possibility that preventing shingles might also protect long-term brain health has drawn increased attention. Dementia currently affects more than 55 million people around the world, with roughly 10 million new diagnoses each year. While Alzheimer’s disease research has long centered on protein buildup in the brain — such as amyloid plaques and tau tangles — the lack of major breakthroughs in prevention has pushed scientists to consider other potential contributors. Among them: the influence of viral infections that live in the body for decades.

Early data suggests that by preventing reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, shingles vaccines may reduce inflammation affecting the nervous system, a factor believed to play a role in cognitive decline. Shingrix, the more recent and highly effective vaccine, and Zostavax, its earlier counterpart, both appear to be associated with a lower likelihood of developing cognitive impairment later in life.

Researchers emphasize that more studies are needed to confirm exactly how shingles vaccination influences brain health. Still, the emerging evidence offers a promising direction and an added reason for adults over 50 to consider vaccination not only for protection against shingles, but potentially for long-term neurological well-being.