Carissa Cascio

Carissa Cascio, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, affiliated with the Division of Psychology. Her research focuses on sensory and repetitive behaviors in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), integrating behavioral assessment with advanced neuroimaging and neurophysiological techniques.

Her research interests span autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing, neuroimaging (fMRI, DTI), and neurophysiology (ERP). She investigates how sensory and limbic neural systems underlie social and communication impairments in ASD, with a focus on tactile perception, affective touch, and pediatric neuroimaging methodologies. Her lab develops behavioral tools for use in pediatric fMRI, including motion training using mock scanners.

The recent publications reflect a strong trajectory in developmental neuroscience and clinical autism research, combining psychophysics, neuroimaging, and behavioral analysis. Themes include sensory hyper- and hyporesponsiveness, thalamocortical pathways, and reward processing in circumscribed interests. Her early work also includes foundational studies on social bonding mechanisms in animal models.

Dr. Cascio actively supports research training, with postdoctoral positions currently available in her lab. Though specific awards and grants are not listed, her sustained research program and publication record indicate active funding and scholarly impact.

Her work is conducted within the interdisciplinary environment of the VUMC Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, contributing to programs such as the Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program and research on early neurodevelopmental conditions.