High-dose flu vaccine linked to lower Alzheimer’s disease risk

A UTHealth Houston physician's visit to a local public health building sparked community awareness and inspired a new research idea.

The risk of Alzheimer's disease significantly decreases in older adults who receive a higher dose of the influenza vaccine compared to the standard dose, according to new research led by UTHealth Houston.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting more than 7 million Americans ages 65 and older as of 2025, which is roughly 1 in 9 people in that age group. That number is expected to more than double by 2050.

A 2022 study led by Paul Schulz, MD, professor of neurology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and director of the Neurocognitive Disorders Center at UTHealth Houston Neurosciences, found that a person 65 years and older's risk of Alzheimer's disease was reduced if they received the influenza vaccine.