Alzheimers Res Ther

Shingles may increase risk of cognitive decline, especially in certain genetic profiles

August 20, 2024

Herpes zoster (HZ) was associated with an increased long-term risk of cognitive decline, according to findings from three large independent cohorts of women and men.

• A total of 149,327 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), NHSII, and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) were included in this analysis to prospectively examine the association between HZ and subsequent subjective cognitive decline (SCD).
• Compared with those without a history of shingles, individuals who had shingles had a significantly higher relative risk in SCD scores. The time between shingles infection and onset of statistically significant elevated risk varied across the different study cohorts.
• The risk of SCD differed based on APOE4-carrier status; though results were inconsistent between sexes. The long-term risk of SCD may be greater among women who were not vaccinated against HZ.

Source:

Yeh TS, et al. (2024, August 14). Alzheimers Res Ther. Herpes zoster and long-term risk of subjective cognitive decline. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39138535/