https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08800-x
Note: at the time of the vaccination of those in the study, the shingles vaccine was Zostavax, since the newer Shingrix was not available then.
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Well, I’m glad I had both the older and newer one, then!
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I had both vaccines, too.
Was not old enough to get the older vax, but completed the Shingrix series. Would be interesting to see if that finding holds for Shingrix.
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The article says that researchers think that Shingrix might have even a greater protective effect! 
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Does it apply even if you had the bad luck to get Shingles first? (I did, age 47)
I’m wondering about that. DH got shingles when he was 40, before getting both vaccines.
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I MAY have had shingles & then got all 3 vaccines. H definitely had shingles & then all 3 vaxes. D has just had shingles as a young teen.
Eric Topol writes about the subject:
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For me, the takeaway is that if I were hesitant to get the shingles vaccine, the possible benefit of a lowered risk of developing dementia would be a pro that would motivate me to get the vaccine.
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It will be interesting to see if these data increase the number of people getting Shingrix (Zostavax isn’t on the market anymore.) I sure hope it does, as it is highly effective in the prevention of shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia. No one wants to suffer through those conditions.
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As a person who got Shingles before getting the vaccine, I’m hopeful that there will still be a benefit to me as well. Believe me, if you have the chance to get the vaccine instead of the disease - go for it.
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My husband was relieved when he was diagnosed at 40 with shingles, because he thought he was having a heart attack. My heart sank, though, because I remember what my grandmother went through for years. Fortunately, the meds helped him recover fairly quickly and he never had another bout.
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