Flu and pneumonia shots may lower risk for Alzheimer's, studies find

Not only does getting a shot reduce your chances of coming down with a nasty infection, but getting vaccinated may also reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in the future, according to two separate abstracts presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Monday.

“This is an encouraging finding that builds upon prior evidence that vaccination against common infections diseases — such as the flu — is associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s and a delay in disease onset,” said neurologist Dr. Richard Isaacson, founder of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical Center, who was not involved in the study.

“Regular use of the flu vaccine, especially starting at an early age, may help prevent viral infections that could cause cascading effects on the immune system and inflammatory pathways. These viral infections may trigger Alzheimers related cognitive decline,” Isaacson said.