Is autism found in any other animals?

It's not straightforward but there can be some atypical social habits in dogs.

Asked by: Peter, Fakenham

Autism is a neurodevelopment condition found in humans, and some of the diagnostic criteria, such as a delay in language development, can’t apply in a straightforward way to animals.

That said, some animals do display autistic-like traits, such as a tendency toward repetitive behaviour or atypical social habits. Bull terriers, for example, are especially prone to repetitive tail chasing, which some experts liken to the spinning that is sometimes seen in children with autism.

Read more:

Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun facts.