Profile

Margaret Gatz

Professor of Psychology, Gerontology and Preventive Medicine

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

LINKS
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, age-related change in depressive symptoms, risk and protective factors for Alzheimer 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 disease, and she is director of the Education Core of the USC Alzheimer Disease Research Center.

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.
Book Chapter
  • Gatz, M., Brommelhoff, J. (2008). The implications of genetic testing for Alzheimer’s disease in an aging society. In C. Y. Read, R. C. Green, & M. A. Smyer (Eds.), Aging, biotechnology, and the future (145-156): Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Journal Article
  • Kendler, K. S., Gardner, C. O., Fiske, A., Gatz, M. (2009). Major depression and coronary artery disease in the Swedish Twin Registry: Phenotypic, genotypic, and environmental sources of comorbidity. Archives of General Psychiatry. Vol. 66, pp. 857-863.
  • Brommelhoff, J. A., Gatz, M., Johansson, B., McArdle, J. J., Fratiglioni, L., Pedersen, N. L. (2009). Depression as a risk factor or prodomal feature for dementia? Findings in a population-based sample of Swedish twins. Psychology and Aging. Vol. 24, pp. 373-384.
  • Fiske, A., Wetherell, J. L., Gatz, M. (2009). Depression in older adults. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. Vol. 5, pp. 363-389. Annual Reviews
  • Carpenter, B. D., Balsis, S., Otilingam, P. G., Hanson, P. K., Gatz, M. (2009). The Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale: Development and psychometric properties. Gerontologist. Vol. 49, pp. 236-247.
  • Xu, W., Qiu, C., Gatz, M., Pedersen, N. L., Johansson, B., Fratiglioni, L. (2009). Mid- and late-life diabetes in relation to the risk of dementia: A population-based twin study. Diabetes. Vol. 59, pp. 71-77.
  • Watts, A., Crimmins, E. M., Gatz, M. (2008). Inflammation as a potential mediator for the association between periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. Vol. 4, pp. 865-876. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
  • 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.
  • 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

  • Developmental Health Award, Division 38, American Psychological Association, 8/2009  
  • Donald F. Kent Award, Gerontological Society of America, 11/2006  
  • Award for the Advancement of Psychology and Aging, American Psychological Association Committee on Aging, 11/2005  
  • 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  
  • Master Mentor Award, Retirement Research Foundation and American Psychological Association, 1999  
  • Distinguished Mentorship Award, Gerontological Society of America, 1997  
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