Older adults who got the shingles vaccine (Zostavax) were a bit less likely to develop dementia over the next seven years—about 1 in 5 fewer cases—so scientists wonder if the vaccine might help protect the brain, too.

People with dementia who got the shingles vaccine were nearly 30% less likely to die from dementia over nine years—maybe the vaccine helps slow down how fast dementia gets worse, even in advanced stages.

Getting the shingles shot when you're 65 or older might help lower your chances of developing dementia by about a third over the next several years.

Getting the shingles shot after age 80 might help people with dementia live longer, even if they already have dementia — it doesn’t stop dementia from starting, but it might slow it down.

Getting the shingles vaccine when you're 80 or older might slightly lower your risk of dying from dementia over the next nine years—especially for women—but not so much for men.

People who got the shingles vaccine didn’t have more or fewer other health problems than those just barely eligible for it—and since those groups were otherwise similar, it looks like the vaccine might help lower dementia risk, not just luck or other health habits.