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Based on their previous success in building a canine model with autism（Tian et al.,Molecular Psychiatry, 2023; doi: 10.1038/s41380-023-02276-9）, a collaborative team led by Professor Zhang Yongqing from the School of Life Science of Hubei University and Professor Han Shihui from IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at the School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences of Peking University published a research paper （DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adu3793） titled Autism-like atypical face processing in Shank3 mutant dogs in Science Advances on April 3. The study revealed that beagles with mutations in the Shank3 gene—a high-risk gene triggering autism—display the similar symptom of autism-like atypical face processing. The findings of atypical face processing in dogs with Shank3 mutations provide a useful animal model for studying ASD mechanisms and treatments..

This study not only provides experimental evidence of risk gene Shank3 mutations lead to autism-like facial recognition deficits and social deficits, but also establishes an indispensable experimental system for future investigations into genetic basis and neural mechanisms of autism.

Yuan Siqi, a doctoral student from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, is the first author of the paper, with Professor Zhang Yongqing and Professor Han Shihui as joint corresponding authors. Professor Guo Kun from the University of Lincoln, Professor Jiang Yonghui from Yale University and Professor Yi Li from Peking University also made significant contributions to this research. The study was supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Kunming Chuncheng Initiative and the Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology.