Evolution Trend of Brain Science Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Mapping Approach
ABSTRACT Background Brain science research is considered the crown jewel of 21st‐century scientific research; the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan have elevated brain science research to a national strategic level. This study employs bibliometric analysis and knowledge graph visualizatio...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Brain and Behavior |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70451 |
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| author | Sujuan Zhang Jingyan Gu Yang Yang Jiangan Li Lulu Ni |
| author_facet | Sujuan Zhang Jingyan Gu Yang Yang Jiangan Li Lulu Ni |
| author_sort | Sujuan Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Background Brain science research is considered the crown jewel of 21st‐century scientific research; the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan have elevated brain science research to a national strategic level. This study employs bibliometric analysis and knowledge graph visualization to map global trends, research hotspots, and collaborative networks in brain science, providing insights into the field's evolving landscape and future directions. Methods We analyzed 13,590 articles (1990–2023) from the Web of Science Core Collection using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Metrics included publication volume, co‐authorship networks, citation patterns, keyword co‐occurrence, and burst detection. Analytical tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and online bibliometric platforms were employed to facilitate this investigation. Results The United States, China, and Germany dominated research output, with China's publications rising from sixth to second globally post‐2016, driven by national initiatives like the China Brain Project. However, China exhibited limited international collaboration compared to the United States and European Union. Key journals included Human Brain Mapping and Journal of Neural Engineering, while emergent themes centered on “task analysis,” “deep learning,” and “brain–computer interfaces” (BCIs). Research clusters revealed three focal areas: (1) Brain Exploration (e.g., fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging), (2) Brain Protection (e.g., stroke rehabilitation, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis therapies), and (3) Brain Creation (e.g., neuromorphic computing, BCIs integrated with AR/VR). Despite China's high output, its influence lagged in highly cited scholars, reflecting a “quantity‐over‐quality” challenge. Conclusion Brain science research is in a golden period of development. This bibliometric analysis offers the first comprehensive review, encapsulating research trends and progress in brain science. It reveals current research frontiers and crucial directions, offering a strategic roadmap for researchers and policymakers to navigate countries when planning research layouts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ef3dc2a07f941998c7fd2dbc0de1d03 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2162-3279 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain and Behavior |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ef3dc2a07f941998c7fd2dbc0de1d032025-08-20T03:12:26ZengWileyBrain and Behavior2162-32792025-05-01155n/an/a10.1002/brb3.70451Evolution Trend of Brain Science Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Mapping ApproachSujuan Zhang0Jingyan Gu1Yang Yang2Jiangan Li3Lulu Ni4Institute of Science and Technology Information Beijing Academy of Science and Technology Beijing ChinaDepartment of Basic Medicine Jiangnan University Wuxi People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of Basic Medicine Jiangnan University Wuxi People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of Emergency Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital Wuxi People's Republic of ChinaDepartment of Basic Medicine Jiangnan University Wuxi People's Republic of ChinaABSTRACT Background Brain science research is considered the crown jewel of 21st‐century scientific research; the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan have elevated brain science research to a national strategic level. This study employs bibliometric analysis and knowledge graph visualization to map global trends, research hotspots, and collaborative networks in brain science, providing insights into the field's evolving landscape and future directions. Methods We analyzed 13,590 articles (1990–2023) from the Web of Science Core Collection using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. Metrics included publication volume, co‐authorship networks, citation patterns, keyword co‐occurrence, and burst detection. Analytical tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and online bibliometric platforms were employed to facilitate this investigation. Results The United States, China, and Germany dominated research output, with China's publications rising from sixth to second globally post‐2016, driven by national initiatives like the China Brain Project. However, China exhibited limited international collaboration compared to the United States and European Union. Key journals included Human Brain Mapping and Journal of Neural Engineering, while emergent themes centered on “task analysis,” “deep learning,” and “brain–computer interfaces” (BCIs). Research clusters revealed three focal areas: (1) Brain Exploration (e.g., fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging), (2) Brain Protection (e.g., stroke rehabilitation, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis therapies), and (3) Brain Creation (e.g., neuromorphic computing, BCIs integrated with AR/VR). Despite China's high output, its influence lagged in highly cited scholars, reflecting a “quantity‐over‐quality” challenge. Conclusion Brain science research is in a golden period of development. This bibliometric analysis offers the first comprehensive review, encapsulating research trends and progress in brain science. It reveals current research frontiers and crucial directions, offering a strategic roadmap for researchers and policymakers to navigate countries when planning research layouts.https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70451bibliometricsbrain scienceresearch hotspot |
| spellingShingle | Sujuan Zhang Jingyan Gu Yang Yang Jiangan Li Lulu Ni Evolution Trend of Brain Science Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Mapping Approach Brain and Behavior bibliometrics brain science research hotspot |
| title | Evolution Trend of Brain Science Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Mapping Approach |
| title_full | Evolution Trend of Brain Science Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Mapping Approach |
| title_fullStr | Evolution Trend of Brain Science Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Mapping Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution Trend of Brain Science Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Mapping Approach |
| title_short | Evolution Trend of Brain Science Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and Mapping Approach |
| title_sort | evolution trend of brain science research an integrated bibliometric and mapping approach |
| topic | bibliometrics brain science research hotspot |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70451 |
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