The findings appear to bolster the growing idea that the shingles vaccine can be protective against dementia.
Some people will also develop lingering nerve pain that can last for years.
But this remains contentious and some studies have failed to support such a connection.
MRI brain scansImage: Nur Ceren Demir/Getty
Overall, nearly 150,000 people were included in their analysis.
Those who reported having shingles were noticeably more likely to report having some cognitive decline, the researchers found.
Their findings were published Tuesday in the journalAlzheimers Research & Therapy.
The Brigham and Womens Hospital teams earlier research hasalso shownthat shingles may raise the risk of long-term cardiovascular disease.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
Can a Drug Prevent Alzheimers Disease Decades Before It Happens?
Scientists are testing an experimental anti-amyloid antibody in people expected to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s.
