There may be new hope in the fight against dementiaAccording to a recent survey, The latest shingles vaccine It appears to help delay the onset of memory loss.
In a study published in 2011, Nature Medicine Researchers found Thursday that those who received the vaccine lived an average of 164 days longer without being diagnosed with dementia compared with those who received the previous shingles vaccine.
upon “CBS Mornings” FridayDr. Celine Gunder, CBS News medical contributor and public health editor for KFF Health News, said the results are exciting.
“The fact that we have a vaccine that’s already approved, that’s already in circulation, that’s covered by insurance and that’s very easy to get, and that it’s demonstrating this level of protection really gives me hope in a lot of ways,” she said.
In an expert response shared alongside the study, Dr Shayna Scales, research director at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing, but is caused by diseases such as Alzheimer’s, so finding new ways to reduce people’s risk of developing these diseases is crucial.”
But it’s not clear how the vaccine reduces the risk, Scales continued, adding: “It will be important to study this apparent effect further.”
The authors also note that further research is needed to understand exactly what produces this association.
Who should get the shingles vaccine?
The CDC already recommends Everyone age 50 and over should receive two doses of the shingles vaccine.
“I think the real question we have right now is, should we start vaccinating sooner? If we start vaccinating sooner, will we need more vaccines? We don’t have an answer to that yet,” Gunder said.
Other steps to prevent dementia
Preventing dementia in later life involves much the same things experts advise for your overall health.
“You want to control your blood pressure with proper diet and exercise and avoid developing diabetes, but if you do get diabetes, make sure you manage it properly and quit smoking,” Gundar said.
new Risk Factors She says the thing to watch out for is Air pollution Because of the Wildfire Smoke.
“Minimize your exposure, get indoor air purifiers in place, and you may want to wear a mask even outdoors during that time,” Gundar advised.
