New Study Suggests Shingrix Vaccine May Delay Dementia Onset: Why Older Adults Should Get Vaccinated Against Shingles

Benefits were particularly significant for women
CDC recommends shingles vaccination for people aged 50 and above to prevent disease and complications
People who received Shingrix had 164 more days without a dementia diagnosis compared to Zostavax over six years
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which may play a role in dementia development
Shingrix vaccine may delay dementia onset according to new study
New Study Suggests Shingrix Vaccine May Delay Dementia Onset: Why Older Adults Should Get Vaccinated Against Shingles

Shingles, a painful condition caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, affects older adults and can lead to complications such as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Vaccination against shingles is crucial for preventing this disease and its associated complications. Two types of shingles vaccines are available: Zostavax and Shingrix. Recent studies suggest that Shingrix may offer additional benefits beyond protecting against shingles, including a potential delay in the onset of dementia.

According to research published in Nature Medicine, people who received the Shingrix vaccine had an average of 164 more days without a dementia diagnosis compared to those who received Zostavax over six years. The benefits were particularly significant for women. However, further clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings and understand the underlying mechanisms.

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. After recovering from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in nerve tissue and can reactivate later in life as shingles. People with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of developing shingles and its complications.

The CDC recommends that everyone aged 50 and above get vaccinated against shingles to prevent the disease and its associated complications. The vaccine is covered by Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and most private insurance plans. It is given as a two-dose series, with the second dose administered 2-6 months after the first.

In addition to shingles vaccination, maintaining a healthy immune system through good nutrition and regular exercise can help prevent shingles and other health issues. Avoiding exposure to air pollution caused by wildfires is also recommended as a potential preventative measure for dementia.

The herpes zoster virus, which causes shingles, may play a role in the development of dementia. The resurgence of the virus or chemicals called adjuvants in the vaccine could potentially delay or even prevent dementia onset. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and determine how long the effect lasts.

If you have any questions about shingles vaccination, consult your healthcare provider for accurate information.


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Further clinical trials are needed to confirm the findings and understand the underlying mechanisms
  • It is unclear how long the effect of Shingrix in delaying dementia onset lasts

Sources

96%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

New shingles vaccine may help delay dementia, study suggests

BBC News Site: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68702081, About Us URL: https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/ Smitha Mundasad Friday, 26 July 2024 20:48
  • Unique Points
    • People who had Shingrix had 17% more time without a diagnosis of dementia than those who had the older vaccine over six years
    • Benefits were greater for women
    • Shingles is a painful, serious condition caused by reactivation of Herpes zoster virus and more common in older people
  • Accuracy
    • People who received the latest shingles vaccine lived, on average, 164 days longer without a dementia diagnosis compared to those who received previous vaccines
  • Deception (85%)
    The article makes several statements that could be considered deceptive or misleading. First, the title suggests a definitive link between the shingles vaccine and a delay in dementia diagnosis, but the study only suggests a correlation and further work is needed to prove the link. Second, there is selective reporting of data as only the benefits of Shingrix over Zostavax are mentioned without mentioning any potential drawbacks or limitations. Third, there is emotional manipulation through statements such as 'it feels meaningful to us' and 'finding new ways to reduce people's risk is vital'. Lastly, there is a lack of disclosure regarding the involvement of one of the scientists working on the study with GlaxoSmithKline, who manufactures Shingrix.
    • It is a big enough effect that if [the link is proved] it feels meaningful to us.
    • title: New shingles vaccine may help delay dementia, study suggests
    • researchers found, on average, over the six-year period: People who had Shingrix had 17% more time without a diagnosis of dementia than those who had the older vaccine
    • finding new ways to reduce people’s risk is vital
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Latest shingles vaccine may also delay dementia, study finds

CBS News Site: https://www.cbsnews.com/articles/about-us/ Sara Moniuszko Friday, 26 July 2024 20:48
  • Unique Points
    • The latest shingles vaccine may delay the onset of dementia according to a study published in Nature Medicine
    • People who received the latest shingles vaccine lived, on average, 164 days longer without a dementia diagnosis compared to those who received previous vaccines
  • Accuracy
    • People who had Shingrix had 17% more time without a diagnosis of dementia than those who had the older vaccine over six years
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Study raises hopes that shingles vaccine may delay onset of dementia

theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government Ian Sample Thursday, 25 July 2024 15:00
  • Unique Points
    • People who received the Shingrix vaccine for shingles had a 17% lower risk of dementia over six years compared to those who received Zostavax.
    • People vaccinated against flu, tetanus, diphtheria or pertussis had a 23 to 27% lower risk of dementia than those who received Shingrix.
    • The researchers suggest that the resurgence of the virus in shingles or chemicals called adjuvants in the vaccine may play a role in delaying dementia.
    • More clinical trials are needed to confirm if Shingrix delays dementia and how long the effect lasts. Some researchers suggest vaccinating people at a younger age could be more effective.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (95%)
    The article reports on a study that suggests a link between the shingles vaccine and a reduction in dementia diagnoses. While the study does not prove causation, it raises hopes for delaying dementia. The author provides quotes from researchers discussing their findings and implications for older adults. However, there are instances of selective reporting as the article focuses on this particular study while ignoring other vaccine studies with less significant results.
    • Researchers have raised hopes for delaying dementia after finding that a recently approved shingles vaccine was linked to a substantial reduction in diagnoses of the condition in the six years after receiving the shot.
    • The discovery, based on US medical records, suggests that beyond the health benefits of preventing shingles, a painful and sometimes serious condition in elderly people, the vaccine may also delay the onset of dementia.
    • For those who went on to develop dementia, that amounts to an extra 164 days, or nearly six months, lived without the condition.
  • Fallacies (95%)
    No formal fallacies found in the author's statements. However, there is an appeal to authority and a potential overgeneralization. The appeal to authority comes from quoting Dr. Maxime Taquet and Prof John Todd as well as referencing a study published in Nature Medicine. The potential overgeneralization is when the author states that 'there is no cure' for dementia, which might imply that no treatments exist, although there are drugs approved to slow down the disease.
    • Dr. Maxime Taquet at the University of Oxford, the first author on the study...
    • The researchers went on to examine dementia rates in people who received Shingrix...
    • One of the authors of the study, Prof John Todd at Oxford...
    • The development of a new and more effective shingles vaccine, Shingrix...
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

86%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Evidence mounts that shingles vaccines protect against dementia

New Scientist Magazine Christa Lesté-Lasserre Friday, 26 July 2024 20:56
  • Unique Points
    • Study suggests that Shingrix shingles vaccine reduces the risk of developing dementia more effectively than an older vaccine called Zostavax by 17%.
    • ,
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (30%)
    The article makes claims about the Shingrix shingles vaccine reducing the risk of dementia without linking to peer-reviewed studies that have not been retracted. It references a study, but this study is not peer-reviewed and is only pre-print. The author also implies a causal relationship between vaccines and reduced dementia risk, which may be misleading as it does not account for other factors such as healthy lifestyles that could contribute to the observed effects.
    • Wanting to know how this vaccine might affect dementia risks, Maxime Taquet at the University of Oxford and his colleagues collected the medical records of 103,837 individuals in the US who were immunised after the launch of the recombinant vaccine in November 2017 and another 103,837 who were immunised prior to that.
    • Evidence mounts that shingles vaccines protect against dementia
    • The latest shingles vaccine may delay or possibly even prevent the onset of dementia more effectively than an older version.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Shingles Vaccination

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Friday, 26 July 2024 20:58
  • Unique Points
    • Shingles vaccination is the only way to protect against this painful disease.
    • ,
    • Shingrix can help prevent future occurrences of shingles even if you have had the disease in the past.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication