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.

Getting the shingles vaccine might help lower your risk of developing different kinds of dementia, especially a mix of Alzheimer’s and blood vessel problems in the brain.

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 might help lower your risk of getting dementia later on—not because people who get the shot go to the doctor more or get diagnosed with other illnesses less, but because the vaccine itself might be doing something protective for the brain.

Getting the shingles shot doesn’t seem to make older people healthier in general—but it might specifically help lower their risk of dementia, and that’s probably not just a coincidence.

People with dementia who get the shingles vaccine may live longer than those who don’t, but the vaccine doesn’t seem to help people without dementia live longer—so maybe it’s helping slow down dementia itself.