Can leaving the workforce early lead to cognitive decline? Here’s what experts say
Can leaving the workforce early lead to cognitive decline? Here’s what experts say
- May 17, 2026
- Research by UCI economists Noah Arman Kouchekinia and David Neumark, and Tim A. Bruckner, public health, featured in the San Francisco Chronicle
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David Neumark, a professor of economics at UC Irvine … and his co-authors, population health [Professor] Tim Bruckner and graduate student Noah Arman Kouchekinia, wanted to look more closely at causation: Does leaving the workforce lead to diminishing cognitive ability, or does a decline in mental capabilities make a person more likely to leave their job? … Neumark said …. people who left employment early — particularly men aged 51 to 64 — showed more evidence of cognitive decline than people who remained employed over that same period.
For the full story, please visit the San Francisco Chronicle.
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