Exploring the Protective Effect of Marital Status on Episodic and Semantic Memory in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

This study examined the relationship between marital status and cognitive performance in middle-aged and older adults, focusing on episodic and semantic memory. Using data from 155 participants aged 50 to 94 in the Southcoast Cognitive Aging Study (SCAS), we assessed cognitive performance through delayed recall and vocabulary tasks. Regression analyses controlling for age, gender, education, and race revealed that married individuals performed significantly better on episodic memory tasks compared to their unmarried counterparts. Exploratory analyses showed that widowed and divorced/separated individuals had significantly lower scores on semantic memory compared to married participants. These findings may be explained by several mechanisms, including cognitive reserve, the emotional support and regulation provided by marriage, and increased opportunities for linguistic engagement within close relationships, all of which may contribute to better memory performance. The results highlight the importance of social relationships in promoting cognitive resilience and underscore the need for targeted interventions to mitigate cognitive risks among unmarried older adults.