Flu (influenza) and pneumonia vaccinations are associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2020. Being vaccinated against influenza was associated with a 17% reduction in Alzheimer’s incidence. Pneumonia vaccinations given between the ages of 65 and 75, reduced Alzheimer’s risk by up to 40%.
Previous research has suggested vaccinations may have a protective factor against cognitive decline, but there have been no large, comprehensive studies focused on the influenza (flu) vaccine and Alzheimer’s disease risk, specifically. To address this gap, Albert Amran, a medical student at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and team, investigated a large American health record dataset (n=9,066).