One vaccine, multiple benefits: flu vaccine could protect us from Alzheimer’s too

How does the flu vaccine protect our brain?

The discovery of scientists from the University of Texas UTHealth, Houston, opens a new perspective in understanding the impact of vaccination on general health, as well as the prevention of seasonal diseases and related problems. Despite the promising results, it is not very clear how the flu vaccine caused a significant reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

One possible explanation offered by the researchers is that vaccines help reduce inflammation and prevent diseases that can cause brain inflammation when they protect us from disease. . Influenza, pneumonia, urinary tract infections and COVID-19, for example, are associated with the onset and worsening of memory and thinking problems. According to a study conducted by the Institute for Research in Social Sciences at Duke University, vaccination against pneumonia between the ages of 65 and 75 reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 40%. Similar results were found in studies that analyzed the effect of vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap), hepatitis or shingles.

Another theory that explains the vaccine’s beneficial effect in reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s is that vaccines improve the immune system’s ability to fight beta-amyloid proteins , eliminating amyloid plaque deposits, which interfere with communication between neurons and favor cognition. decline

“In the brain, there is a complex interaction between cells called astrocytes, microglia and oligodendrocytes, which change the level of inflammation. Many monoclonal antibody-based drugs being developed to treat Alzheimer’s disease stimulate the immune system to remove beta-amyloid plaques from the brain. Similarly, the flu vaccine may activate these immune cells, eliminating beta-amyloid plaques“, explained Dr. Paul Schulz, professor of neurology at McGovern Medical School and UTHealth University of Texas, Houston, said that there is evidence that several types of vaccines can provide protection against Alzheimer’s disease.

In short, the flu vaccine affects Alzheimer’s risk by:
• reduce chronic inflammation. Inflammation is a key factor in the development of amyloid plaques in the brain, which is characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease;
• training the immune system to fight more effectively against infections, reducing periods of immune stress that affect brain function in the long term;
• prevent serious problems related to the flu, which has a negative effect on the brain, increasing the risk of cognitive decline.

👉 The influenza vaccine it is accessible, safe and recommended for the whole family, especially for more vulnerable loved ones, such as children and grandparents. And the results of a new study, according to which they also contribute to the maintenance of mental health, may represent an additional reason for vaccination. Flu prevention could be far more important than we might have thought, both for us and especially for the loved ones in our lives.