Taking a vaccine shot for shingles could easily reduce your risk of dementia by at least 17 per cent, a new study has said. According to experts, the Shingrix vaccine slashes the chance of being diagnosed with the debilitating and degenerative brain disease in the six years after vaccination.

The study, conducted by the University of Oxford, claims the jab equates to living at least six to nine months without dementia. For the study, experts gave shots to 20,000 men and women, however, it was found that the effects were greater in women.

“One possibility is that infection with the Herpes zoster virus (shingles) might increase the risk of dementia and, therefore, by inhibiting the virus the vaccine could reduce this risk,” said Dr. John Todd, professor of precision medicine at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Medicine. “Alternatively, the vaccine also contains chemicals which might have separate beneficial effects on brain health.”

Shingles are an extremely common viral infection that causes a painful rash anywhere on your body. According to experts, it looks like a single stripe of blisters that wraps around the left side or the right side of your torso. It can also sometimes lead to serious health problems like permanent deafness, long-lasting pain, and blindness. A jab to protect against it is available for free on various government platforms to everyone aged 65-80 years.

Even though scientists are not clear how the vaccine might be reducing the risk of dementia - nor whether the vaccine causes a reduction in dementia risk directly, or whether there’s another factor at play, many feel that the virus may be contributing to the onset of dementia. "Therefore a vaccine that is stopping you have a reactivation of the virus might delay whatever that process is that is leading you to have dementia in coming years," Dr. Todd added.

Dementia is a term for several diseases that affect memory, thinking, and the ability to perform daily activities. While the condition is common in people 65 years or older, it is not considered part of ageing. A few risk factors for dementia cannot be avoided, like aging and genes, but others can be reduced or avoided. A few reasons why the doctors say it happens are:

According to experts, many genes that increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease have been identified. Many people with Down's syndrome show neurological and behavioral signs of Alzheimer's disease by the time they reach middle age.

Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque - deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, and other matter - in the inner lining of your arteries. According to experts, atherosclerosis is a significant risk factor for vascular dementia, because it interferes with the delivery of blood to the brain and can lead to stroke.

Doctors say diabetes is a risk factor for both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. It is also a known risk factor for atherosclerosis and stroke, both of which contribute to vascular dementia.