Could common winter vaccines reduce your risk of dementia?

If you're in need of a little encouragement to get your routine vaccinations, such as the annual flu jab or the shingles jab, how about a potentially reduced risk of dementia in later life?

Approximately one in 11 people over 65 have dementia, according to the NHS. And although lifestyle interventions, such as having a healthy diet and exercising regularly, can do a lot to prevent this disease, researchers are still looking for medical interventions that can make a difference too. 

Emerging evidence from recently published research suggests that vaccination could have an impact. 

This research is not without its limitations – but it's promising and has big implications for the way dementia is managed.

We spoke to experts to find out more about the science behind the headlines, and we explain who's eligible for free winter jabs. 

What causes dementia?

Dementia is a general term for a loss of brain function, including difficulties with language and memory. While the exact cause of these symptoms is unknown, they've been linked to certain structural changes in the brain. 

One key change is the build-up of protein plaques and tangles.

These malformed proteins develop naturally, even in healthy brains. The immune system is normally able to clear them away before they cause harm. 

However, as you age, the immune system stops functioning as well, and it becomes less able to clear these proteins. This means they can build up in the brain and damage its cells. 

This age-related slowing of the immune system also means the body is less able to deal with inflammation and illness in general.  

Over time, these changes can cause damage to the brain, which leads to the symptoms of dementia. 

However, new evidence suggests that vaccines could delay, or even prevent, this damage from occurring. 

Vaccination linked to reduced risk of dementia

A 2022 review of 17 studies, with more than 1 million total participants, found that multiple different vaccines were associated with a reduced risk of dementia. 

Individuals who received vaccinations for conditions such as shingles, flu and even rabies were significantly less likely to develop dementia than those who didn't. 

To find out more about this potential relationship, we spoke to Professor Maxime Taquet, Specialty Registrar in Psychiatry at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. 

‘Studies have shown that most types of vaccination are associated with a decreased risk of dementia,’ said Professor Taquet. 

‘It has opened up exciting avenues for future research.’

However, these studies are not without limitations. Professor Taquet explained: ‘There are a lot of potentially confounding factors in this research.’

A confounding factor is something that impacts both the potential cause and the potential effect that a study is investigating. 

For example, in this case, it's known that people who get vaccinated are also more likely to eat a healthy diet, and that eating a healthy diet is associated with a reduced risk of dementia. 

So if you compare a group of people who choose to get vaccinated with a group of people who choose not to get vaccinated, you would expect that the vaccinated group would have lower levels of dementia – even if the vaccine itself had no effect.

As a result, this research can’t be taken as proof that getting vaccinated decreases your risk of dementia – but it certainly suggests that the relationship is worth investigating. 

This is what led researchers to the shingles vaccine. 

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Shingles vaccine rollouts suggest link

Results from a study published in 2025 have built on previous research to further show a link.

We spoke to Professor Pascal Geldsetzer, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. He explained why it's so important:

‘In Wales, they rolled out the shingles vaccine back in 2013.

‘If you had your 80th birthday just prior to the start date of the program, you were ineligible for the vaccine. If you had your 80th birthday just after, you were eligible for at least one year.'

These two groups – one 'vaccine-eligible' and one 'vaccine-ineligible' – differ only by a few days in age. You can assume that, on average, they probably behave very similarly, so it avoids the problem of confounding factors that is seen in other studies.  

Excitingly, the study found that the vaccine-eligible group was much less likely to develop dementia. In fact, after controlling for the fact that not every eligible person got the vaccine, Professor Geldsetzer and his group estimated that receiving the shingles vaccine reduced the probability of a new dementia diagnosis by approximately 20% over seven years.

And that’s not all. The same researchers then investigated rates of dementia in Australia, where the shingles vaccine was rolled out in the same way. Again, they found that the vaccine-eligible group had a significantly decreased risk of developing dementia. 

‘This could be a hugely important finding for clinical medicine, population health, and research into the causes of dementia,’ said Professor Geldsetzer.

How might vaccinations reduce the risk of dementia?

There are two key ways that vaccines might help to decrease the risk of dementia. 

Firstly, they offer protection against viruses, which themselves may cause dementia. 

A 2023 study found that multiple different viral illnesses, including shingles and flu, were associated with neurodegenerative diseases – that is, diseases caused by damage to the brain.

Vaccines might also decrease the risk of dementia by improving the function of your immune system in general. 

Studies suggest vaccines can increase immunity to multiple diseases – not just the one they're designed to target. For example, a study in Italy in 2017 found that children vaccinated against measles were also less likely to be hospitalised with pneumonia and bronchitis. 

A 2022 review argued that even a single vaccine might trigger genetic and cellular changes that make the immune system more effective. 

Therefore, researchers have suggested that vaccination could decrease the risk of dementia by helping to reduce, or even reverse, the slowing of the immune system that happens with age. 

This helps the immune system to maintain its ability to clear away protein plaques and tangles in the brain, and reduces overall levels of inflammation. 

What is chronic inflammation and how can you prevent it? We explore the causes and problems caused by chronic inflammation, and the science-backed ways to tackle it

Recombinant vaccines may be particularly beneficial

In support of this hypothesis, new evidence from the University of Oxford suggests that certain types of vaccination – specifically, those designed to stimulate the immune system – may be more effective at preventing dementia. 

These are known as recombinant vaccines, and they contain two elements: a small part of a particular virus, and an adjuvant. 

An adjuvant is an immunostimulant substance that is added to vaccines to enhance the body's response to the virus. 

Professor Taquet, who ran the Oxford study, says: 'It seems that boosting the immune system could protect against dementia,’ he explained. 'So the recombinant vaccine, which is designed to boost your immune system, could be more effective at preventing dementia than a live vaccine.'

His study compared three different vaccines: the recombinant shingles vaccine, the recombinant RSV vaccine, and the live flu vaccine.

It found that getting either recombinant vaccine was associated with a lower risk of getting dementia than the live vaccine.

The exact way in which recombinant vaccines might help prevent dementia is still unclear. It could be that they trigger the production of a particular type of protein involved in removing plaques from the brain. 

Whatever the mechanism, this study is the latest to support the idea that vaccination could protect against dementia by boosting the immune system. 

Professor Taquet adds: ‘We now have multiple large, natural experiments across different populations, all of which indicate that vaccination is associated with a decreased risk of dementia.'

‘There is a strong possibility that vaccination could be a highly effective means of preventing or slowing the development of this condition.’

How common winter bugs may raise the risk of other serious health conditions

If the above wasn't incentive enough, it's worth considering the other potential health impacts of certain winter viruses.

A review of more than 150 studies found that your risk of having a heart attack or stroke may be up to five times higher in the month after having flu. 

If you're already at higher risk of these conditions, it's worth being vigilant about symptoms if you've been unwell, and taking up vaccinations if you're eligible.

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Who is eligible for free flu, shingles and covid vaccinations – and can you get them privately?

The NHS gives out a range of free vaccinations to older people. You can also pay privately for common vaccinations at most pharmacies. You'll find a full list of vaccinations and eligibility criteria on the NHS website, and we've listed the most common below:

Flu vaccine

Over-65s are eligible on the NHS, as well as those with certain health conditions.

A review of more than 150 studies found that your risk of having a heart attack or stroke may be up to five times higher in the month after having flu, which further underscores the importance of this jab. 

If you are under 65, you can pay to have the flu vaccine privately – it normally costs around £20, and many pharmacies will provide this to walk-in patients. See our guide to flu jab costs for more.

Shingles vaccine

The NHS offers the shingles vaccine to everyone aged 70 - 79, and those who turned 65 after 1 September 2023. 

It's also available to anyone over 18 who is immunosuppressed. 

You should get this vaccination even if you have previously had shingles. 

Pneumococcal vaccine

This protects against illnesses like meningitis and pneumonia.

Everyone is eligible for one dose when you turn 65. 

You can also get this vaccine if you are younger and immunosuppressed. 

Covid vaccine

People who are over 75 are also eligible for the Covid vaccine on the NHS.

You get this every year in winter, and you can get it at the same time as the flu jab. 

Other ways to minimise your risk of dementia

While the latest research suggests there are additional benefits to getting your recommended vaccinations, they also highlight the importance of preventing the spread of infectious diseases generally. 

Infection prevention measures such as regular handwashing, avoiding touching your face, and ventilating your home will all help you to stay healthy. 

Otherwise, a healthy lifestyle is considered the best prevention. Ways to help minimise the risk of dementia include having a healthy diet, regular exercise, regular social interaction and looking after your hearing. Plus stopping smoking and limiting your alcohol intake.

Worried about your hearing? See our independent expert advice on why it's important not to put off getting help, and how to get the best hearing aids if you need them