Taquet, M., et al. Lower risk of dementia with AS01-adjuvanted vaccination against shingles and respiratory syncytial virus infections.

Taquet, M., et al. Lower risk of dementia with AS01-adjuvanted vaccination against shingles and respiratory syncytial virus infections. NPJ Vaccines, 2025 Jun 25, 10(1):130. PMID: 40562756

• The paper discusses emerging evidence that vaccines containing the AS01 adjuvant, such as the shingles (Herpes Zoster) and RSV vaccines, are associated with a lower risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. It emphasizes the need to understand whether this protective effect results from preventing infections that may increase dementia risk or from the immunological actions of the AS01 adjuvant itself, which includes components like QS-21. 
• The study analyzed a total of 436,788 individuals who received the AS01-adjuvanted shingles (Shingrix) and RSV vaccines. The vaccination is associated with a significantly reduced 18-month risk of developing dementia compared to unvaccinated individuals receiving the flu vaccine. Specifically, receiving either vaccine alone was linked to approximately 18–29% lower risk, while receiving both conferred an even greater reduction of about 37%. These protective effects appeared similar regardless of sex and were not solely attributable to infection prevention, suggesting that liposomal QS-21 may play a direct immunomodulatory role in reducing the risk of dementia. 
• The findings support the hypothesis that vaccines with the AS01 adjuvant might offer a novel strategy for dementia prevention, possibly through immunological pathways independent of their infection-targeting effects. The authors highlight the importance of further research to uncover the mechanisms behind these observations and to assess the potential of vaccines as a strategy for dementia prevention.

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