Getting shingles just once could increase the risk of long-term confusion and memory loss, a new study has found.

The study, led by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, linked the virus to greater chances of “subjective cognitive decline,” according to a Harvard press release.

The findings were published in the journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy on Aug. 14.

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“Subjective cognitive decline” captures early changes in cognition that are noticed before evidence of cognitive impairment shows up on standard neuropsychological tests, explained study author Sharon Curhan, M.D., a physician and epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

It was also associated with a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. 

“Shingles may contribute to dementia risk through neuroinflammation, damage to cerebral blood vessels (cerebral vasculopathy), or direct neuronal damage,” Curhan told Fox News Digital.

In this particular study, the researchers analyzed data from three large cohorts of more than 150,000 women and men over a 13-year period. 

The data came from the Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, according to Curhan.

“We were surprised by the large magnitude and long duration of the increased risk.”

“There was a suggestion that the magnitude of the elevated risk may be greater among those who were not vaccinated with the shingles vaccine,” she said.

The researchers determined that shingles was associated with a greater than 20% higher long-term risk of subjective cognitive decline.

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“We were surprised by the large magnitude and long duration of the increased risk, and [the fact] that it may be different in women and men,” Curhan told Fox News Digital. 

The elevated risk was even higher among those who were genetic carriers of APOE e4 — the gene that increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease — than men who were not APOE e4 carriers, she noted, but this was not the case in women. 

Known medically as herpes zoster, shingles is a painful, blistering rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. (iStock)

Although he noted that this is an observational study and does not prove cause and effect, Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, said he believes “the observation is real.”

“Shingles is a reactivation of a virus that has been hiding inside nerves,” he told Fox News Digital. “It causes inflammation — and when inflammation involves the brain, it is associated with cognitive decline, which can lead to Alzheimer’s.”

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Previous studies have also looked at the association of herpes zoster and other viruses with Alzheimer’s and the other diseases that cause dementia, according to Heather M. Snyder, PhD, senior vice president of medical and scientific operations at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago.

“It is unclear if the virus is present in individuals because of changes associated with the diseases that cause cognitive decline, changes of the immune system, or some sort of cause and effect,” Snyder, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

“When inflammation involves the brain, it is associated with cognitive decline.”

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Previous research has also shown that a history of shingles is also associated with higher long-term risk of a major cardiovascular event, such as a stroke or heart attack, which could last for many years after infection, Curhan warned. 

What to know about shingles

Shingles — medically known as herpes zoster — is a painful, blistering rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which is the same virus that causes chickenpox, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The rash and blisters usually scab over within seven to 10 days.

The infection is common, affecting about one in every three people in the U.S. in their lifetime.

In addition to the rash, which typically appears as a stripe around one side of the body or face, symptoms can include fever, chills, headache and upset stomach. (iStock)

“A majority of adults have herpes zoster hidden in their brain cells, from prior infection at some previous point in their life,” said Snyder.

In addition to the rash — which typically appears as a stripe around one side of the body or face — symptoms can include fever, chills, headache and upset stomach, according to the CDC.

In some cases (10% to 18%), the virus can lead to complications like long-term nerve pain.

One in every three people in the U.S. will have shingles in their lifetime.

Other rare but serious adverse effects can include vision loss, bacterial infections, pneumonia, brain inflammation (encephalitis), impaired hearing and death, per the CDC.

These complications are most likely to affect those with compromised immune systems.

Antiviral treatments and pain relief medications are available for those with the condition.

Means of prevention

These findings show the “long-term implications” of shingles and highlight the importance of public health efforts to prevent the infection, Curhan noted. 

The vaccination has been shown to be 90% effective at preventing the infection and long-term nerve pain in adults age 50 and over who have healthy immune systems, according to the CDC.

Shingles vaccination has been shown to be 90% effective at preventing the infection and long-term nerve pain in adults age 50 and over who have healthy immune systems, according to the CDC. (iStock)

“Given the growing number of Americans at risk for this painful and often disabling disease and the availability of an effective vaccine, shingles vaccination could provide a valuable opportunity to reduce the burden of subsequent health issues due to shingles, such as chronic pain (postherpetic neuralgia), cardiovascular complications, or cognitive decline and dementia,” said Curhan.

The CDC recommends routine shingles vaccination for people age 50 and older, regardless of whether they have had a prior episode of shingles or have had a previous vaccine. 

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“Anyone who may be eligible for the vaccine or who may have questions or concerns about vaccination should consult with a health care provider,” said Curhan.

Siegel echoed the merits of vaccination. 

“This study adds to the growing group of evidence that the shingles vaccine (Shingrix) is important for all those over 50 (who have had chicken pox or the varicella vaccine) to decrease the risk of reactivation of the shingles virus and/or complications of active infection,” he said.

Potential limitations 

This was an observational study that primarily focused on a White, highly educated population, Curhan noted — which means future studies in other populations could strengthen the research.

“Also, we did not have information on vaccination status in the full study population, so we could only examine this relation among a subset,” she added. 

“A majority of adults have herpes zoster hidden in their brain cells, from prior infection at some previous point in their life,” a doctor said. (iStock)

Much of the study period took place before the shingles vaccine became widely available, Curhan said — and even once it was introduced, the uptake was generally low. 

The more recent vaccine was not available until after the study. 

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“As uptake of the newer shingles vaccine increases, additional studies that evaluate whether vaccination status influences the relation of shingles and risk of cognitive decline would be informative,” Curhan said. 

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“Therefore, we are currently collecting this information among our participants and hope to conduct these studies in the future.”

People who have been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm may be more susceptible to certain mental health conditions, according to a study published by the American Heart Association (AHA).

The knowledge of an unruptured aneurysm increased the risk of anxiety, stress, depression, insomnia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and alcohol or drug misuse by 10% over a 10-year period, the researchers found.

An unruptured aneurysm occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes weak and bulges out — creating the risk of a potentially deadly rupture, per the AHA.

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The effect was most seen in adults under 40 years of age, and the risk was three times greater among those who received an official mental health diagnosis.

The researchers analyzed data for 85,438 adults with untreated aneurysms between 2011 and 2019, comparing them to 331,000 adults without aneurysms.

The data came from the National Health Information Database in South Korea.

The findings were published in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the AHA.

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“As a neurosurgeon who treats cerebral aneurysms, I often see people who do not undergo surgery, yet feel fear and/or anxiety about their condition before each imaging or screening test to monitor their condition,” said study co-author Na-Rae Yang, M.D., PhD, an assistant professor of neurosurgery in the department of neurosurgery at Ewha Womans University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, in a press release.

“Even when it is medically judged and explained that follow-up observation is the best course for their aneurysm rather than surgery, they still worry about the very slim chance of developing a fatal brain bleed.”

The fact that younger adults were more likely to have a “significant psychological burden” could be linked to other life stressors, an expert noted. (iStock)

The fact that younger adults were more likely to have a “significant psychological burden” could be linked to other life stressors, Yang noted, such as building their career and/or raising a family.

“This elevated rate of mental health conditions suggests that younger people might be particularly vulnerable, highlighting the need for targeted mental health support and interventions for this age group,” she added.

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Dr. Daniel T. Lackland, an American Heart Association EPI and Stroke Council member and professor of epidemiology at the Medical University of South Carolina, was not involved in the study but said he was not surprised by the findings.

“While there is no evidence that aneurysms directly cause anxiety and mental disorders, this study suggests there may be a connection between stress and aneurysms, and that unruptured aneurysms can increase emotional distress,” he told Fox News Digital. 

The knowledge of an unruptured aneurysm increased the risk of anxiety, stress, depression, insomnia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and alcohol or drug misuse by 10% over a 10-year period, the researchers found. (iStock)

“For example, an enlarging aneurysm may physically affect nearby sympathetic ganglia, which could produce panic or anxiety symptoms.”

Extreme emotional stress could also increase the risk of an enlarged aneurysm rupturing, which could increase anxiety, Lackland added.

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Based on the findings, Lackland recommends maintaining active and regular communication with health providers, particularly for individuals with a family history of brain aneurysms. 

“If diagnosed with a brain aneurysm, [the patient should] follow through with the appropriate and proper treatment,” he advised.

“Brain aneurysms, like aortic aneurysms, are life-threatening if they rupture, but can be treated with appropriate therapy and/or procedures.”

Although the findings suggest an association between aneurysms and mental health conditions, they can’t prove cause and effect, the researchers noted. (iStock)

Dr. Bradley Serwer, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, a Cincinnati-based company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals nationwide, has also noticed this phenomenon in his own practice.

“Whether the patient is told they have a brain aneurysm or they have an abnormal heart valve, irregular heart rhythm or aortic aneurysm, the psychological ramifications are significant,” Serwer, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.

Younger patients may have fewer coping mechanisms, he noted.  

“They tend to perseverate more on the medical conditions, and this can lead to anxiety.”

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This study highlights the importance of taking a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, Serwer said, as well as the “dramatic need” for more behavioral and mental health services to support these individuals.

Potential limitations

The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

The analysis relied on a national database of medical codes rather than input from individual patients.

“Brain aneurysms, like aortic aneurysms, are life-threatening if they rupture, but can be treated with appropriate therapy and/or procedures.”

Additionally, the research did not take into account the size or location of the aneurysms.

Although the findings suggest an association between aneurysms and mental health conditions, they can’t prove cause and effect, the researchers noted.

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“As the authors indicate, there is inadequate evidence to indicate that brain aneurysms cause increased mental health risks,” said Lackland. 

“Also, the study was done in Korea — and it is unclear if the results can be generalized to other populations.”

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