Research landscape of neurodegenerative diseases and brain energy metabolism: A multi-database integrative analysis

Objective Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive degeneration or death of neurons and their myelin sheaths. Increasing evidence suggests that impaired brain energy metabolism is a fundamental mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of these disorders. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of research trends in this field is essential. Methods A bibliometric analysis was conducted using merged and deduplicated data retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection(WoSCC) and Scopus databases. Publications from 2004 to 2024 related to neurodegenerative diseases and brain energy metabolism were systematically analyzed. Key parameters included publication trends, and contributions from countries, institutions, journals, authors, references, and keywords. Results A total of 3,639 publications were identified, showing an overall increasing trend over the past two decades. These studies involved contributions from 54 countries or regions and were published across 459 academic journals. The United States and Italy were the leading contributors in this field. Keyword analysis revealed an evolution in research focus, with "microglia," "inflammation," and "cognitive decline" emerging as prominent and rapidly developing topics in recent years. Conclusion This study provides a comprehensive overview of global research trends in brain energy metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases over the past 20 years. It highlights emerging hotspots and suggests potential future research directions, offering valuable insights for advancing this field.