Democracy Dies in Darkness

4 vaccines linked to a lower risk of dementia, according to science

Some vaccine-preventable diseases are linked to accelerated brain atrophy and increased dementia risk years down the line.

8 min
A vaccine vile full of sunshine against a cloudy sky.
(Illustration by George Wylesol/For The Washington Post)
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Vaccines don’t just protect us from infectious diseases or lessen their effects. Some are also associated with a reduced risk for dementia, research shows.

“They’ll protect against these really potentially severe infections, especially in older adults, and preventing that alone is huge,” said Avram Bukhbinder, a resident physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston who has conducted research on vaccines and dementia risk.

What readers are saying

Several comments discuss the potential link between vaccines and a reduced risk of dementia, with specific mentions of the flu, shingles, and Tdap vaccines. One comment highlights a study suggesting a 20% lower likelihood of dementia in those who received the shingles vaccine.... Show more
This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.
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Richard Sima is a neuroscientist turned award-winning science journalist who writes the "Brain Matters" column for The Washington Post's Well+Being desk. @richardsima
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