The Flu Vaccine May Help Keep Alzheimer's at Bay - Gizmodo

The study found that adults over 65 who received at least one flu shot were noticeably less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease up to four years later.

In 2020, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston analyzed medical records and found a link between flu vaccination and a lower associated risk of diagnosed Alzheimer’s.

During the study period, 8.5% of unvaccinated adults were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or received medication often used to manage it, compared to 5.1% of vaccinated individuals—about a 40% lower relative risk.

There also appeared to be a cumulative effect, such that people who consistently got vaccinated annually during the study period were the least likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

“Since there is evidence that several vaccines may protect from Alzheimer’s disease, we are thinking that it isn’t a specific effect of the flu vaccine,” said study author Paul Schulz, director of the Neurocognitive Disorders Center at UT’s McGovern Medical School, in a statement.