This lung disease vaccine can prevent Alzheimer’s disease
The versatile BCG vaccine
The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, known for its use in preventing tuberculosis, has shown additional beneficial effects.
In fact, it’s now a recommended treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Interestingly, recent research suggests that the BCG vaccine could also potentially reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
Investigating the Effects of BCG on Alzheimer’s Risk
In a study conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), the BCG vaccine was linked to a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other similar diseases.
The results were published in JAMA Network Open.
Previous studies suggested this potential protective effect, but were limited due to their small size, study design, or analytical methods.
dr MGH’s Marc Weinberg, along with a team of researchers, conducted a more comprehensive study to further investigate this link.
Study design: tracking thousands of patients
The researchers followed 6,467 people for up to 15 years after their diagnosis with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
The study group included 3,388 patients who received the BCG vaccine treatment and 3,079 who acted as controls. Participants were matched based on factors such as age, gender, and comorbid medical conditions.
During the follow-up period, 202 patients in the BCG group and 262 in the control group developed Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia.
Statistical analyzes showed that BCG vaccine treatment was associated with a 20% reduced risk of these conditions, particularly in patients 70 years and older.
Potential for a longer lifespan
Notably, the study also showed that BCG vaccination was associated with a 25% reduced risk of death.
This finding came after the researchers found that 751 patients in the BCG group and 973 in the control group died during the follow-up period.
The way forward: Exploring the potential of BCG for Alzheimer’s
dr Weinberg sees the potential of the BCG vaccine as a low-cost, public health solution for a devastating disease like Alzheimer’s.
His team now wants to explore the benefits of BCG vaccination in older adults through clinical trials related to Alzheimer’s disease.
If further research confirms a causal link between BCG vaccination and a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, understanding the mechanisms involved is crucial.
The researchers suspect that the effects of the vaccine on the immune system could be decisive.
If you are interested in Alzheimer’s disease, please read Studies on the blood test that can predict dementia, Alzheimer’s five years earlier, and one year of this exercise can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
For more information on Alzheimer’s, see current studies Coconut oil may help improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s. and results are displayed Strawberries could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
The study was published In JAMA network open.
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