A higher dose of the annual flu vaccine may offer older adults an unexpected benefit: a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

In a large study led by researchers at UTHealth Houston, adults ages 65 and older who received a high-dose influenza vaccine were less likely to develop Alzheimer's than those given the standard-dose version. The findings, published in the medical journal Neurology , suggest that the strength of a flu vaccine could matter for more than just protection against influenza.

The discovery grew out of an unexpected conversation between a UTHealth Houston physician and local public health officials. What began as a visit to discuss earlier vaccine research eventually led scientists to investigate whether different flu vaccine doses might be associated with different levels of Alzheimer's risk.

A Surprising Connection Between Flu Vaccines and Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia and an increasingly serious public health concern.…