Research Shows Link Between Flu and Pneumonia Vaccines and Alzheimer’s Disease
For several years, there has been an attempt from the public health officials to dismiss the misconception that people who receive a flu vaccine tend to have Alzheimer's disease.
For several years, there has been an attempt from the public health officials to dismiss the misconception that people who receive a flu vaccine tend to have Alzheimer's disease.
The truth is, they're not. Now, research says that flu and pneumonia vaccines may shield people from Alzheimer's disease, too.
Such evidence, according to a report, came from two separate studies presented early this week at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference this year, currently ongoing as a virtual event.
According to Alzheimer's Association chief science officer, Maria Carillo, vaccines have typically been known to be essential to one's general health.
Carillo explained that they might even be great contributors to the protection of one's memory, cognition, and brain.
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The First Study
The first research was done by a team of scientists at the University of Texas that examined millions of medical records in a national database.
The objective of this particular study was to search for factors impacting a person's risk of acquiring certain illnesses, which include Alzheimer's.
Among the things that came back were flu shots, according to medical student Albert Amran from McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
This appeared strange and thus, Amran, and a group of scientists reviewed thoroughly at the health records of roughly 9,000 individuals aged at least 60 years old. Some of the thousands of people got a seasonal flu shot while others hadn't.
They also tried to guarantee that both groups had an equal extent of common risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and smoking status.
Additionally, the team studied other factors, such as education and income, as well as how much prescriptions an individual had received, to ensure that individuals who received vaccines were just generally healthier. They were not able to do so.
Following this step, scientists sought to see who among the respondents most possibly were diagnosed with the illness.
Individuals who received at least one shot of flu vaccine had a 17 percent reduction in threat. And those who received regular vaccines saw their risk drop another 13 percent. Amran also explained that more vaccinations would mean less likelihood of Alzheimer's disease.
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Amount of Benefit for Brain
Amran warned that the amount of benefit that flu vaccination offers could vary in a different group of individuals.
He said that there is a protective impact. The amount is something he needed to be measured or gauged with more thorough research.
Even so, neurocognitive disorders center director, Dr. Paul Schulz, said, "the outcome was astonishing". And to have these people come out and say that it appeared that receiving the vaccine is linked to less risk of Alzheimer's disease was the contrast of what was thought.
Dr. Schulz was surprised as vaccines tend to lead to infection when they stimulate the immune system.
Second Research
The other research reviewed the impact of both vaccines for flu and pneumonia on the risk of Alzheimer's disease. A group of researchers from the University of North Carolina and Duke University evaluated the medical records of over 5,000 individuals aged at least 65 years old.
As a result, the vaccine for pneumonia seems to serve as protection for older adults. However, in this research, administering vaccines for flu, on top of the pneumonia vaccine, did not result in any further decline in risk.
In terms of protection for the brain, researchers said they don't know why such vaccinations might lessen the Alzheimer's risk.
However, a previous study hinted at a link, and there are some possible explanations for such a connection.
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