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Brian Lairr on WNYC.

So we were just talking in our last segment about and with young men.

We're going to end by talking about older men and women and older anybody.

The topic is your brain on retirement.

New research shows that verbal memory generally declines after retirement. Retirees are also

more prone to experiencing depression. But a lot of those negative cognitive impacts can be mitigated

and even reversed, according to research, by finding new things to learn and ways to socialize.

So joining us now to break down her latest reporting on how to stay mentally sharp and healthy

through the major transition of going into retirement is Mohana Ravindranath,

reporter covering longevity, aging, and brain health at the New York Times.

Mahana, hi, welcome to WNYC.

Thank you so much for having me.

And listeners, we can get some callers in on this one too.

What were some of the changes you noticed in your mental or cognitive health,

specifically when you retired, specifically, let's say, in the first year or two, after retirement, if any, 212,

433 WNYC, 212, 433, 9692, or if you're nearing retirement, are you making a plan now?

Because planning is one of the keys here, Mahana, to just to jump right into solutions for staying undepressed and cognitively sharp, right?

Right. The researchers I spoke to did find some link between retirement and cognitive decline and mood changes as well.

But I do want to emphasize that what they found does not apply to everybody.

Retirement is a unique experience for everybody.

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