Could a vaccine prevent dementia?

[arstechnica@mastodon.social]

Could a vaccine prevent dementia? Shingles shot data only getting stronger.
Latest data hints that benefits seen so far could be underestimates.
https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/02/could-a-vaccine-prevent-dementia-shingles-shot-data-only-getting-stronger/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

[xexyl@fosstodon.org]

@arstechnica until earlier this year (!!) in the UK shingles was ‘prevented’ by not vaccinating against chickenpox because somehow not getting vaccinated decreases the chances in adulthood of not getting shingles despite the fact that if you get chickenpox you have it in you. If they were REALLY concerned they could vaccinate both. The fact ‘experts’ were doing the exact opposite of what they claimed to be doing is astonishingly daft.

[davidnielsen@mastodon.social]

@arstechnica which makes me question how much later in life damage we sustain from viruses we are just supposed to accept because the immediate consequences are “mild”.

[joeinwynnewood@mstdn.social]

@arstechnica

Glad I got my Shingles vaccinations (2 dose regimen 2 months apart) after the newer, more effective vaccine became available.

[infoseepage@mastodon.social]

This post is deleted!

[zenheathen@beige.party]

@arstechnica Putting my money down right now, nice and early. I'm betting within 50 years, medical science discovers that half of the harms of aging come from viral damage. Wouldn't surprise me at all.

Actually... if I learned about it in 50 years, I'd be 103, and... Yeah, I think I'd be surprised to be learning anything.

[katieloves2read@mastodon.social]

@arstechnica Having gotten shingles at 18 and having both Mom and Grandma have nasty bouts with it themselves - get Shingrix! The achy side effects are way better than the weeks and months of shingles pain.

Also Grandma got Shingles twice - proving her doctor wrong, that she didn't need Zostavax because she already had had shingles. Grandma is all vaxxed up now. Too late on the dementia front though.

[sassinake@mastodon.social]

@arstechnica I should get mine before it becomes class privilege

[samerfarha@mastodon.social]

@Infoseepage when I got the vaccine and posted about it, so many people in their 30s said they’d had shingles that I was shocked the vax is only available for those over 50!