The shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of dementia

A no-brainer for protecting your brain One simple vaccination may dramatically reduce the risk of dementia FEW CONDITIONS are as feared as dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is the most common cause. This is mostly because of its insidious nature, since it strips people of their sense of self and leaves those who love them caring for a stranger. “Alzheimer’s is me unwinding, losing trust in myself, a butt of my own jokes and, on bad days, capable of playing hunt the slipper by myself, and losing,” wrote the late Sir Terry Pratchett, a novelist who had a rare form of it. “I felt totally alone, with the world receding from me in every direction.” This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “A no-brainer for your brain” From the July 11th 2026 edition Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents Explore the editionWho is capable of evil? Stop lowering the age of criminal responsibility England needs fewer council homes, not more Andy Burnham’s plan is no way to ease the housing crisis Two cheers for Trump Accounts The grubby scheme contains the seeds of a good idea The man who would change Russia A leading oligarch speaks out, warning of the looming disaster facing his country Turkey and Israel should trade energy, not insults Both have much to gain from being less belligerent Venezuela’s earthquakes are partly America’s problem The government’s response has been dire. Its patron has a duty to help