TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Nikolov, Plamen
AU  - Hossain, Md Shahadath
        TI  - Do Pension Benefits Accelerate Cognitive Decline? Evidence from Rural China
        PY  - 2022/Nov/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 15742
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp15742
        AB  - Economists have mainly focused on human capital accumulation, rather than on the causes and consequences of human capital depreciation in late adulthood. To investigate how human capital depreciates over the life cycle, we examine how a newly introduced pension program, the National Rural Pension Scheme, affects cognitive performance in rural China. We find significant adverse effects of access to pension benefits on cognitive functioning among the elderly. We detect the most substantial impact of the program on delayed recall, a cognition measure linked to the onset of dementia. In terms of mechanisms, we find that cognitive deterioration in late adulthood is mediated by a substantial reduction in social engagement, volunteering, and activities fostering mental acuity.
        KW  - developing countries
KW  - life cycle
KW  - human capital
KW  - cognitive functioning
KW  - LMICs
KW  - cognition
KW  - middleincome countries
        ER  -