(TheConservativeTimes.org) – A new study has found that getting Shingles just once can increase the risk of long-term confusion and memory loss. The study was led by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. They concluded that the virus was linked to greater chances of “subjective cognitive decline.”
“Subjective Cognitive Decline” highlights noticeable cognitive changes that occur prior to any evidence of cognitive impairment that would show up on neuropsychological tests. Shingles was also associated with a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
“Shingles may contribute to dementia risk through neuroinflammation, damage to cerebral blood vessels, or direct neuronal damage,” said Sharon Curhan, M.D., a physician and epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
This study looked at one hundred and fifty thousand women and men over a period of thirteen years. Curhan said, “There was a suggestion that the magnitude of the elevated risk may be greater among those who were not vaccinated with the shingles vaccine.”
Researchers officially determined that Shingles was associated with an over twenty percent higher long-term risk of cognitive decline. Curhan added, “We were surprised by the large magnitude and long duration of the increased risk, and the fact that it may be different in women and men.”
The study also found that the risk was even higher for those who were generic carriers. Dr. Marc Siegel said that the study is an observational study and doesn’t prove true cause and effect, but he does believe “the observation is real.”
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