Getting the shingles vaccine doesn’t make people more likely to die or get sick from other reasons, so if some studies link it to dementia, it’s probably not because vaccinated people are sicker overall or getting more medical checkups.

Getting the shingles vaccine doesn’t seem to make older adults more likely to die or get sudden painful conditions, which suggests that if the vaccine is linked to dementia, it’s probably not because it’s causing general harm.

Getting the shingles shot might help lower your risk of dementia—even if you still get shingles afterward—suggesting the vaccine protects your brain in ways beyond just preventing the rash.

Older people who got the shingles shot seem to be less likely to develop dementia than those who got the flu shot or the whooping cough/tetanus/diphtheria shot — and that’s probably because the shingles vaccine itself is doing something special, not just because getting any vaccine is good for you.

Older adults who got the newer shingles shot lived about 164 more days without getting dementia over six years than those who got the older shingles shot—suggesting the newer shot might help protect the brain a bit better.

People 65 and older who got the newer shingles shot lived about 164 extra days without being diagnosed with dementia over six years compared to those who got the older shingles shot—suggesting the newer shot might help delay dementia, at least a little.