Targeting Neuroinflammatory and Regenerative Pathways with Monoclonal Antibodies in Spinal Cord Injury: A Bibliometric Analysis

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can result in severe neurological and socio-economic outcomes, particularly in young people. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), due to their target specificity and multimodal mechanism of action, represent a promising strategy to mitigate neuroinflammation, limit immune cell infiltration, and promote axonal regeneration after SCI. This study aims to analyze and visualize current research trends and evaluate the preclinical and clinical efficacy and safety of mAbs for SCI. Clarivate Analytics Web of Science (WoS) was used to collect all studies on mAbs in treating SCI. Two independent reviewers screened studies for relevance. CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Prism were used for analyzing and visualizing authors, countries, keywords, timelines, and co-citation of authors and references. Key study characteristics were further analyzed. One hundred and eighteen studies were included, all studies in the field. The annual publication counts remained relatively stable, reflecting sustained research interest. The USA was the most productive and linked country. Schwab was the most prolific author, exhibiting the highest collaboration strength. Keyword analysis identified nerve regeneration, neuroplasticity, and anti-inflammatory as main hotspots. mAbs directed at 25 targets demonstrated safety and feasibility in treating acute SCI, and atinumab has progressed furthest toward clinical application. Our bibliometric analysis indicates sustained and global research activity on mAbs for SCI. mAbs have demonstrated preclinical promise, but there are challenges in optimizing local delivery and minimizing side effects. Substantial translational work is required before widespread clinical application. • This first bibliometric analysis of spinal cord injury highlights persistent interest in treating the condition with monoclonal antibodies • Nerve regeneration inhibition and modulation, neutralizing proinflammatory mediators, and modulating systemic complications of spinal cord injury are major mechanistic targets • Given the unique characteristics of the injury site, optimizing local delivery and minimizing side effects remain significant barriers to translation