Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: avoid retiring early, study finds

Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: avoid retiring early, study finds
- May 5, 2026
- Research by David Neumark, economics, helps explain, via Fortune
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A working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that among Americans ages 51 to 75, leaving employment led to cognitive decline, while consistent employment caused greater sustained cognition. Though research has previously shown a correlation between early retirement and cognitive decline, University of California, Irvine economists sought to prove a causational relationship between the two. … The results of the study are clear to David Neumark, a UC Irvine professor of economics and study coauthor: There’s an urgent reason to keep Gen X in the workforce.
For the full story, please visit Fortune.
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