Professor Paul Schulz and his team, at the McGovern Medical School in Houston, found the flu vaccine could help protect people against Alzheimer’s disease in a brilliant new breakthrough in tackling the awful disease.
In their research study, people who had at least one flu vaccine were 40 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease over a four-year period.
Professor Schulz said: “Vaccines are the great public health success story of our generation.
“They keep you safe from any number of infections, many of which can be life-threatening.
“And now it appears there is another tremendous benefit, this one against a disease that is among the most feared.”
How does the flu vaccine protect against Alzheimer’s disease?
Professor Schulz believes the flu vaccine could reduce the immune system’s response to amyloid plaque – a protein found in the brain.
In Alzheimer’s patients there tends to be abnormally high levels of amyloid plaques.
An immune response to abnormally high levels of amyloid proteins in the brain could trigger an immune response that kills brain cells, which contributes to the development of dementia.
Dementia is the umbrella term to describe symptoms caused by different diseases that damage the brain.
Alzheimer’s, for example, is the most common type of dementia in the UK.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, as listed by the NHS:
- Forget about recent conversations or events, or misplace items
- Forget the names of places and objects, or have trouble thinking of the right word
- Repeat themselves regularly, such as asking the same question several times
- Show poor judgement or find it harder to make decisions
- Become less flexible and more hesitant to try new things
- Mood changes, such as increasing anxiety or aggression
- As more of the brain is damaged, more symptoms begin to develop.
Examples include delusions (believing things that aren’t true) and hallucinations (seeing things that aren’t there).
Professor Schulz has another theory as to how the flu vaccine could reduce Alzheimer’s risk.
He proposes that the vaccine strengthens the immune system’s ability to remove excess amyloid plaques.
Professor Schulz told the Washington Post: “Fewer plaques lead to less inflammation and less brain cell loss.
“We aren’t sure yet exactly what the mechanism is, but something is going on with the brain and the immune system that seems to make a big difference.”
Further research by Professor Shulz this year found that vaccines for other diseases, such as shingles, have also been found to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.