Physiology and Psychosocial Functioning in Autism: Examining the Unique Role of the Autonomic Nervous System

Free webinar at 1 p.m. Eastern time (US), Wednesday, March 26, 2025

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a highly coordinated system responsible for regulating involuntary physiological processes, such as heart rate, and the function of its systems may act as objective physiological markers of internal psychological states. For individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), understanding differences in autonomic function may offer unique insight into the physiological influence on behavior. Ongoing comprehensive studies continue to identify physiological differences between youth with and without ASD and their clinical implications for physical and psychological health.

Physiology and Psychosocial Functioning in Autism: Examining the Unique Role of the Autonomic Nervous System

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About the speaker:

Dr. Rachael Muscatello is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). She received her PhD in Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University in 2020 and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at VUMC. Dr. Muscatello’s research program examines the functioning of physiological stress systems, especially the autonomic nervous system, in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a primary focus on cardiovascular regulation and responsivity as markers of risk for internalizing comorbidities in autistic individuals. To date, Dr. Muscatello has published extensively on the relationships between stress, development, anxiety/depression, and social functioning in autistic youth to better understand the role of physiological function in psychosocial behavior.

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