Shingles linked with higher risk of experiencing cognitive decline

People who have had shingles, or herpes zoster, at some point in their lives have an increased risk of developing subjective cognitive decline later on, says a new study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, MA. The study, which appears in Alzheimer’s Research & TherapyTrusted Source, finds a 20% increase in the chances that a person will eventually experience a sense of cognitive decline if they have had shingles. Research regarding a connection between herpes zoster and cognitive issues has been inconclusive. However, there have been several studiesTrusted Source recently that have established a link between higher rates of shingles vaccinations and lower rates of dementia, which is essentially a confirmation of the same relationship.