My research program investigates (1) the neural and inflammatory mechanisms linking social inequality to health; and (2) in the other direction, how physiological states of the body (i.e., inflammation) feedback to the brain to impact social and affective processes.

Representative Articles:

Muscatell, K., Alvarez, G., Bonar, A., Cardenas, M., Galvan, M., Merritt, C., Starks, M., (2022). Brain-Body pathways linking racism and health. American Psychologist.

Alvarez, G., Rudolph, M., Cohen, J., Muscatell, K. (2022) Lower socioeconomic position is associated with greater activity and integration within an allostatic-interoceptive brain system in response to affective stimuli. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.

Alvarez, G. & Muscatell, K.A. (2021). A cultural neuroscience perspective on socioeconomic disparities in global mental health. Invited chapter Handbook of Cultural Neuroscience and Global Mental Health.

Alvarez, G., Hackman, D., Miller, A.B., & Muscatell, K. (2020). Systemic inflammation and neural reactivity to affective images. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.