{
  "id": 15939255,
  "title": "BCG Vaccine-Induced Trained Immunity May Help Protect Against Dementia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/bcg-vaccine-induced-trained-immunity-may-help-protect-against-dementia",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-21T19:13:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "GEN Biotechnology",
    "slug": "gen-biotechnology",
    "url": "https://www.genengnews.com/topics/translational-medicine/bcg-vaccine-induced-trained-immunity-may-help-protect-against-dementia/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine indicates that the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, commonly used to prevent tuberculosis and treat bladder cancer, may also offer protection against dementia. The researchers found that mice genetically engineered to develop signs of dementia who received the BCG vaccine showed fewer signs of the disease, such as neurofibrillary (tau) tangles, sustained immune cell activation, and memory loss, compared to mice that did not receive the vaccine. BCG-treated mice also performed better in object recognition tests and maintained better body weight and survival rates.\n\nLead researcher William Bishai, MD, PhD, believes that the immune cells in the central nervous system and brain are using information from BCG to recognize and respond to the formation of plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Trained immunity, which refers to the ability of innate immune system cells to adapt and respond to future threats, may be the mechanism behind this protection. Innate immune cells, such as monocytes and macrophages, can learn how to identify and respond to new threats after an initial stimulus.\n\nThe study, published in Science Advances, involved dividing mice into three cohorts: those that received the BCG vaccine, those that received a saline injection, and a control group of age-matched mice that did not have dementia. Mice in the BCG treatment group received the vaccine at three months of age. After eight to nine months, the researchers found that the mice that received BCG were five times more likely to have reduced tau deposits in their brains and four times less likely to have markers of sustained inflammation. The untreated mice showed activation of 716 genes linked to Alzheimer's disease, cell death, and neuroinflammation, while those who received BCG had normalization of all but nine of these genes. BCG-treated mice also showed less brain atrophy, lower levels of tau, and improved performance in memory tasks, body weight, and survival. The researchers conclude that BCG vaccination could be a credible observation for future research and large-scale clinical trials to provide definitive answers on its potential to prevent dementia.",
  "summary": "The results of a preclinical study suggest that the BCG vaccine, which is widely used to prevent tuberculosis and treat bladder cancer, may also have properties that reduce the risk for dementia by inducing trained immunity. The post BCG Vaccine-Induced Trained Immunity May Help Protect Against Dementia appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}