About

Margaret J Gatz

Professor of Psychology, Gerontology and Preventive Medicine

Contact Information
E-mail: gatz@usc.edu
Phone: (213) 740-2212
Office: SGM 520

LINKS
Faculty Profile on Departmental Website
Gatz Lab Website
Going for the Goal--Southern California
 

Biographical Sketch
Professor Gatz studies the mental health of older adults, particularly psychological well-being over the life-span, mental health interventions, and the effects that aging has on families. Her research interests encompass age-related change in depressive symptoms, risk and protective factors for Alzheimer's disease, and evaluation of the effects of interventions. She directs the Study of Dementia in Swedish Twins, a large longitudinal investigation of genetic and environmental factors in Alzheimer's disease.
 

Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History

Tenure Track Appointments
Professor, University of Southern California, 01/01/1985-  
 

Non-Tenure Track Appointments
Foreign Adjunct Professor, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, 01/01/2000-  
 

Publications

Book
Karel, M. J., Ogland-Hand, S., Gatz, M., Unützer, J. (2002). Assessing and treating late-life depression: A casebook and resource guide. New York: Basic Books, 2002. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Gatz, M., Messner, M. A., Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (2002). Paradoxes of youth and sport. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press.
Gatz, M. (1995). Emerging issues in mental health and aging. Washington, DC: Emerging issues in mental health and aging/American Psychological Association.
 

Journal Article
Jarvik, L., LaRue, A., Blacker, D., Gatz, M., Kawas, C., McArdle, J. J., Morris, J. C., Mortimer, J. A., Ringman, J. M., Ercoli, L., Freimer, N., Gokhman, I., Manly, J. J., Plassman, B. L., Rasgon, N., Roberts, J. S., Sunderland, T., Swann, G. E., Wolf, P. A., Zonderman, A. B. (2008). Children of persons with Alzheimer disease: What does the future hold?. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders. Vol. 22, pp. 6-20.
Gatz, M., Mortimer, J. A., Fratiglioni, L., Johansson, B., Berg, S., Andel, R., Crowe, M., Fiske, A., Reynolds, C. A., Pedersen, N. L. (2007). Accounting for the relationship between low education and dementia: A twin study. Physiology & Behavior. Vol. 92, pp. 232-237.
Gatz, M., Brown, V., Hennigan, K., Recheberger, E., O’Keefe, M., Rose, T., Bjelajac, P. (2007). Effectiveness of an integrated, trauma-informed approach to treating women with co-occurring disorders and histories of trauma: The Los Angeles site experience. Journal of Community Psychology. Vol. 35, pp. 863-878.
Gatz, M. (2007). Genetics, dementia, and the elderly. Current Directions in Psychological Science. Vol. 16, pp. 123-127.
Kendler, K. S., Gatz, M., Gardner, C. O., Pedersen, N. L. (2006). Personality and major depression: A Swedish longitudinal population-based twin study. Archives of General Psychiatry. Vol. 63, pp. 1113-1120.
Gatz, M., Prescott, C. A., Pedersen, N. L. (2006). Lifestyle risk and delaying factors. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders. Vol. 20 (Suppl. 2), pp. S84-S88.
Gatz, M., Reynolds, C. A., Fratiglioni, L., Johansson, B., Mortimer, J. A., Berg, S., Fiske, A. E., Pedersen, N. L. (2006). The role of genes and environments for explaining Alzheimer’s disease. Archives of General Psychiatry. Vol. 63, pp. 168-174.
Gatz, M., Mortimer, J. A., Fratiglioni, L., Johansson, B., Berg, S., Reynolds, C. A., Pedersen, N. L. (2006). Potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia in identical twins. Alzheimer's & Dementia. Vol. 2, pp. 110-117.
Gatz, M. (2005). Educating the brain to avoid dementia: can mental exercise prevent Alzheimer's disease?. PLOS Medicine. Vol. 2 (1), pp. e7. Public Library of Science
 

Honors and Awards
Recipient of National or International Prize in Discipline, Donald F. Kent Award, Gerontological Society of America, 11/2006  
Recipient of National or International Prize in Discipline, Award for the Advancement of Psychology and Aging, American Psychological Association Committee on Aging, 11/2005  
Recipient of National or International Prize in Discipline, Distinguished Research Achievement Award, American Psychological Association, Division 20, 8/2005  
Zenith Fellowship, Alzheimer's Association, 1/2003-12/2004  
USC Raubenheimer Outstanding Senior Faculty Award, 2001  
Recipient of National or International Prize in Discipline, Master Mentor Award, Retirement Research Foundation and American Psychological Association, 1999  
Recipient of National or International Prize in Discipline, Distinguished Mentorship Award, Gerontological Society of America, 1997  
 
 
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