The role of cognitive reserve in cognitive decline associated with retirement

As life expectancy lengthens in Western societies, the retirement period is increasing. Several epidemiological studies report differences in cognitive performance between employed and retired people of the same age. These results reflect a significant heterogeneity between retired people, many of them having levels of cognitive functioning quite comparable to their working peers. These results could be explained by differences in the level of cognitive reserve. Cognitive reserve refers to an individual’s ability to tolerate challenges in their brains before cognitive changes occur. The goal of this project is to verify, using CLSA data, the presence of cognitive decline associated with retirement and to assess the role of cognitive reserve in this decline.