Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Learn about physiology and psychosocial functioning in autism by examining the unique role of the autonomic nervous system.
Free certificates of participation are available upon successful completion of a brief knowledge quiz at autism.org/autism-physiological-responses-and-internalizing-symptoms
Handouts are online here: autism.org/autism-physiological-responses-and-internalizing-symptoms
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.
Learn about physiology and psychosocial functioning in autism by examining the unique role of the autonomic nervous system.
Free certificates of participation are available upon successful completion of a brief knowledge quiz at autism.org/autism-physiological-responses-and-internalizing-symptoms
Handouts are online here: autism.org/autism-physiological-responses-and-internalizing-symptoms
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.
