Ruth McKenzie

Ruth McKenzie is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack College. Her research focuses on aging, cognitive aging, physical functioning, intergenerational programs, and lifelong learning. She holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.S. in Psychology from Boston University and Bridgewater State University respectively.

Her work examines how lifestyle behaviors, genetics, and environmental factors influence cognitive aging and brain health. Notable studies include investigations into alcohol use effects on cognition in middle-aged men, cigarette smoking’s long-term brain aging impacts, and the role of ApoE genotype in cognitive decline.

Publications span journals like Neurobiology of Aging and Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, emphasizing longitudinal cohort analyses using the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (VETSA). Her research often integrates neuroimaging and biomarker data to explore mechanisms of cognitive resilience and decline.

Collaborative projects involve twin studies to disentangle genetic and environmental influences on aging-related outcomes. Current interests include developing early predictive models for Alzheimer’s disease and understanding paradoxical cognitive trajectories across adulthood.