According to a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, the tuberculosis vaccine Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) can reduce the risk of Alzheimers disease and related dementias. The BCG vaccination has several beneficial aspects and is now recommended as a treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

For the study, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Brigham and Womens Hospital (BWH) monitored 6,467 people diagnosed with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer for up to 15 years. The study comprised 3,388 patients who had BCG vaccination therapy and 3,079 controls who were matched by age, gender, and medical comorbidities.

During the follow-up period, 202 individuals in the BCG vaccination group and 262 in the control group were diagnosed with Alzheimers disease and associated dementias.

The findings of the study showed that immunization with BCG vaccination reduced the risk of Alzheimers disease and related dementias by 20%. The protective link was observed to be stronger in patients aged 70 years or older. The researchers also noted that the BGC vaccine lowered the risk of mortality.

In both groups, the incidence was 8.8 per 1,000 person-years and 12.1 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. Furthermore, 751 individuals in the BCG vaccination group died, whereas 973 individuals in the control group perished. Thus, BCG vaccination therapy was associated with a 25% decrease in mortality. 

(Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/study-suggests-tb-vax-may-reduce-risk-of-alzheimers-509646 )