Shingles and Dementia
Listen to the full conversation DPM's Isreal Hale had with UD's Daniel Harris about a new study on shingles vaccination and dementia risk.
Shingles vaccine could decrease chances of dementia per new study
A new study from the University of Delaware found that shingles vaccination could be linked to lower dementia risk in adults 50 or older.
Nearly all adults in that age group were exposed to chickenpox as children. Scientists say the virus can lie dormant in the nervous system for decades before reactivating as shingles, causing a painful rash.
The study — led by the Director of UD’s Epidemiology PhD Program Daniel Harris, PhD — found that older adults who received at least one dose of the shingles vaccine had a 24% lower risk of developing dementia over four years.
This week, Delaware Public Media's Isreal Hale chatted with Harris to learn more about the study and potential impacts.
