Instapundit links to a UPI report of a serendipitous finding that the newer shingles vaccine Shingrix may help prevent dementia. In a study comparing the effects of the newer vaccine vs. the older "live" virus vaccine, it turned out that fewer people receiving the new vaccine developed dementia.
Overall, the six-year study found that people who got so-called newer "recombinant" shingles vaccines, such as Shingrix, spent 17% more time living free of any diagnosis of dementia, compared to folks who had gotten the older "live" form of the vaccine, Zostavax.
If you read the article, those who got Zostavax also gained some protection against dementia, but the newer vaccine provides even more. It appears that the herpes zoster virus which causes shingles may be one of the causes of dementia. The study involved data for over 200,000 people.
