Background: For measuring the impact in clinical and scientific research, the citation count of the articles is used in the bibliometric analysis, although there is no comprehensive summary of neurodegenerative disease research. This study intends to provide the neuroscientists and investigators with a practical reference guide to appraise the most important and influential articles written on this subject through a macroscopic view of the research activities on neurodegenerative diseases.Materials and Methods: The Clarivate Analytics Web of Science was searched in July 2020. To ensure the breadth of the search scope, the search terms were confirmed as “multiple sclerosis” (MS) or “amyotrophic lateral sclerosis” (ALS) or “Parkinson’s” or “Alzheimer’s” or “Huntington’s” or “neurodegenerative.” After excluding completely unrelated articles, the top-cited articles were collected and evaluated from special characteristics. The data analysis was performed using SPSS 18.0. The articles were characterized by citation number, publication year, topic, study type, authorship, journal, country, and institute of responding author and foundation.Results: The query identified 593,050 articles. A total of 45% of the top-cited articles were published during 2000–2009, followed by 30 articles from 1990–1999. Diagnosis and pathology were the main research categories (n = 62). Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was the main study topic (n = 43). Meanwhile, the United States confirmed the tremendous impact on the field of neurodegenerative diseases. Notably, 69 of 100 articles were studied in the United States, and the National Institutes of Health sponsored 49 articles. There were only 22 articles that can be divided by evidence level. No article was categorized as level 1 evidence. In the journal list with multiple articles, seven of 15 were general journals. The 58 authors, who contributed to more than one article, have been identified by VOSviewer, and the clusters of authors reveal the evolution of research focus in neurodegenerative diseases.Conclusions: This study analyzed the bibliometric characteristics and connections of 100 top-cited articles in the field of neurodegenerative diseases in the Web of Science. Their main outcomes were as follows: First, the pathology and diagnostic researches took a major role in top-cited articles while the therapy articles are relatively less. Second, the United States confirmed the tremendous impact on the field of neurodegenerative diseases. Third, researchers also submitted their researches to general journals, not just focused on specialty journals.
Read Full Article (External Site)
Dr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., is a co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Human Potential, where he leads the charge in pioneering Self-Enhancement Science for the Success of Society. With a keen interest in exploring the untapped potential of the human mind, Dr. Lowemann has dedicated his career to pushing the boundaries of human capabilities and understanding.
Armed with a Master of Science degree and a Ph.D. in his field, Dr. Lowemann has consistently been at the forefront of research and innovation, delving into ways to optimize human performance, cognition, and overall well-being. His work at the Institute revolves around a profound commitment to harnessing cutting-edge science and technology to help individuals lead more fulfilling and intelligent lives.
Dr. Lowemann’s influence extends to the educational platform BetterSmarter.me, where he shares his insights, findings, and personal development strategies with a broader audience. His ongoing mission is shaping the way we perceive and leverage the vast capacities of the human mind, offering invaluable contributions to society’s overall success and collective well-being.