John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
A recent public health policy in Wales has uncovered compelling evidence linking the shingles vaccine with a lower risk of dementia. Research led by Stanford Medicine analyzed health records for the elderly population in Wales and found that those who received the shingles vaccine were 20% less likely to develop dementia over seven years compared to those who didn't.
Published in Nature on April 2, the study supports the theory that some viruses affecting the nervous system can raise dementia risks. With over 55 million people globally suffering from dementia, the findings could lead to a significant preventive measure.
The study focused on individuals eligible for the shingles vaccine, introduced in Wales on September 1, 2013, for people aged 79, extending eligibility year by year. The eligibility criteria created a natural experiment to study the vaccine's effects, likened to a randomized controlled trial.
Pascal Geldsetzer, MD, PhD, noted the reduced bias as a result of the vaccine rollout in Wales. “What makes the study so powerful is that it’s essentially like a randomized trial with a control group... and an intervention group,” Geldsetzer said.
The study looked at over 280,000 individuals aged 71 to 88, focusing particularly on those around the eligibility age threshold. They observed consistent dementia risk reduction among vaccinated participants. “It was a really striking finding,” Geldsetzer said.
The research found no significant differences regarding education level, other health conditions, or preventive measures between eligible and ineligible individuals, except for the decline in dementia diagnoses. Geldsetzer emphasized, “Because of the unique way in which the vaccine was rolled out, bias in the analysis is much less likely than would usually be the case.”
Protection against dementia was notably higher in women, a statistic attributed to sex differences in immune response or dementia progression.
Geldsetzer hopes these findings will drive more funding into this research area. His team has replicated the results in countries with similar vaccine rollouts. He also aims to conduct a large, randomized controlled trial for even firmer evidence.
The research was funded by The Phil & Penny Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience, the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub.
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