Shingles and Pneumonia Vaccines Linked to Lower Dementia Risk, New Research Suggests
november 9, 2025 - emerging research is suggesting a surprising connection between common vaccinations – those for shingles and pneumonia – and a reduced risk of dementia. A new study, published recently, adds to a growing body of evidence that these vaccines may offer a protective effect against the debilitating neurological condition.
The study, analyzing the health records of over 400,000 adults in the United States, found that individuals who received either the shingles or pneumonia vaccine had a significantly lower risk of being diagnosed with dementia in the years following vaccination. Specifically, the shingles vaccine was associated with a 26% reduction in dementia risk, while the pneumonia vaccine showed a 13% reduction.
“This is compelling enough that physicians may begin discussing dementia prevention as an added benefit with their patients,” said Dr. michael Jena,the Joseph P. Newhouse Professor of Health Policy at Harvard Medical School. He noted he recently introduced the research to a group of residents unfamiliar with the link.
The findings build upon previous research, including a 2017 study co-authored by study participant Dr. Geldsetzer, which examined over 280,000 adults in Wales and found a 20 percent lower risk of dementia in those who received the shingles vaccine over a seven-year period.
Researchers observed that the protective benefits appeared to correlate with the duration of vaccine effectiveness. As the vaccines’ protection against their target illnesses waned, so too did the observed reduction in dementia risk.
While the results are promising, experts caution against oversimplification. Dr. AM Barrett, chair and professor of neurology at UMass Chan medical School, emphasized that current dementia prevention options are limited and often less effective. She also expressed concern that the findings could become politicized, fueling vaccine skepticism and mistrust in medicine.
“unfortunately,” Dr.barrett said, “people who are not personally affected by dementia may see this as an attempt to persuade them to receive an needless vaccination.” However, she underscored the potential value of a relatively inexpensive and widely available preventative measure. “You want to be able to play with yoru grandchildren for five more years and be able to drive well for another five years,” she said. “This is priceless.”
The research highlights a potential, and relatively accessible, avenue for mitigating the growing global burden of dementia. further examination is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind this connection and to determine optimal vaccination strategies for dementia prevention.
About the Author:
Akilah Johnson is a national reporter who investigates the impact of racism and social inequality on health for The Washington Post. She joined the Post in 2021 after working at ProPublica, where she won a George Polk Award and a National Magazine Award and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for her investigation into the impact of Covid-19 on Black Americans.
This article was first published in English on November 9, 2025 at Washingtonpost.com and is now available in translation to readers of the IPPEN.MEDIA portals.
