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Articles Published Processes
10/29/2026 7:19:22 AM | Browse: 2 | Download: 0
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Received |
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2026-06-09 05:50 |
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Peer-Review Started |
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2026-06-09 05:50 |
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First Decision by Editorial Office Director |
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Return for Revision |
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2026-07-10 06:33 |
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Revised |
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2026-07-23 21:34 |
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Publication Fee Transferred |
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2026-07-29 07:04 |
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Second Decision by Editor |
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2026-08-31 03:15 |
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Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief |
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Final Decision by Editorial Office Director |
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2026-08-31 08:32 |
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Articles in Press |
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2026-08-31 08:32 |
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Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor |
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Typeset the Manuscript |
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2026-09-20 02:37 |
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Publish the Manuscript Online |
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2026-10-29 07:19 |
| ISSN |
2220-3206 (online) |
| Open Access |
This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright |
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved. |
| Article Reprints |
For details, please visit: http://www.wjgnet.com/bpg/gerinfo/247
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| Permissions |
For details, please visit: http://www.wjgnet.com/bpg/gerinfo/207
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| Publisher |
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA |
| Website |
http://www.wjgnet.com |
| Category |
Psychiatry |
| Manuscript Type |
Review |
| Article Title |
Potential mechanisms and research progress of animal-assisted interventions for autism spectrum disorder
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| Manuscript Source |
Unsolicited Manuscript |
| All Author List |
Xin-Chu Zhou and Jia-Chen Qu |
| ORCID |
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| Funding Agency and Grant Number |
| Funding Agency |
Grant Number |
| 2025 Provincial Teaching Reform Research Project of Undergraduate Universities in Hubei Province |
2025513 |
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| Corresponding Author |
Jia-Chen Qu, PhD, Post Doctoral Researcher, Postdoc, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 169 East Lake Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China. qujc_doc@163.com |
| Key Words |
Animal-assisted intervention; Autism spectrum disorder; Neurobiological mechanisms; Clinical rehabilitation; Social communication |
| Core Tip |
This review evaluates clinical evidence and mechanisms of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) for autism spectrum disorder. Clinically, dog- or equine-assisted interventions improve symptoms and comorbidities, but efficacy is highly heterogeneous with variable effect sizes, and several high-quality studies demonstrate no significant benefit, indicating low-quality evidence. Mechanistically, AAI regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, oxytocin, social brain networks, autonomic function, and sensorimotor integration. However, direct evidence is limited to neuroendocrine responses, heart rate variability, and electroencephalographic changes; synaptic plasticity, immune regulation, and mitochondrial metabolism remain theoretical. Optimal mechanisms differ by subgroup, highlighting stratification by age, cognition, and sensory characteristics. Methodologically, animal stress is a confounder affecting interaction quality. Future trials are supposed to include animal stress as a covariate and establish stratified frameworks for standardized, evidence-based AAI practice. |
| Publish Date |
2026-10-29 07:19 |
| Citation |
Zhou XC, Qu JC. Potential mechanisms and research progress of animal-assisted interventions for autism spectrum disorder. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(11): 124210
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| URL |
https://www.wjgnet.com/2220-3206/full/v16/i11/124210.htm |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.124210 |
Copyright © 1993-2026 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA. All rights reserved, including rights relating to text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For open-access content, the applicable copyright and licensing terms govern.
