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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Neurol.
Sec. Epilepsy
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1439823

Bibliometric Analysis of the Interplay between Epilepsy and Microglia: Trends, Hotspots, and Emerging Research Areas

Provisionally accepted
Shouye Zhang Shouye Zhang 1Xiaotong Yang Xiaotong Yang 1Yuping Wang Yuping Wang 2,3,4,5,6*
  • 1 Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
  • 2 Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
  • 3 Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Beijing, China
  • 4 Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
  • 5 Hebei hospital of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
  • 6 Independent researcher, Shijiazhuang, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Epilepsy, a common neurological disorder, has been increasingly associated with neuroinflammation, especially microglia activation. To gain insights into the research trends and patterns in this intersection, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of studies published between 2005 and 2024. Using the Web of Science Core Collection, we identified 1229 relevant articles and reviews, focusing on the relationship between epilepsy and microglia.We employed the Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer to analyze the data. Our search strategy combined epilepsy-related terms with microglia and microglial cell keywords. The analysis encompassed publication trends, country and institutional contributions, journal sources, authors, keywords, and thematic evolution.The number of publications has steadily increased, particularly after 2019, indicating growing research interest. The USA, China, and Germany emerged as the most productive countries, with extensive collaboration between China and the USA. Epilepsia and Journal of Neuroinflammation were the most influential journals. Aronica E, Vezzani A, and Engel T were the most prolific authors. Thematic analysis revealed clusters focused on temporal lobe epilepsy, epilepsy-related disorders, and microglia activation. Over the past several years, research has shifted from fundamental brain function studies to in-vivo investigations of specific molecular mechanisms. The CSTB (-) mouse model and NF-κB signaling pathway both merit further in-depth investigation.In conclusion, this bibliometric study reveals a surge in epilepsymicroglia research, led by key countries, journals, and researchers. Temporal lobe epilepsy, epilepsy-related disorders, and microglia activation are focal themes. Future directions include exploring microglia activation mechanisms, utilizing animal models, and interdisciplinary approaches.

    Keywords: Bibliometric analysis1, VOSviewer2, epilepsy3, microglia4, neuroinflammation5, research trends6

    Received: 03 Jun 2024; Accepted: 26 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Yang and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yuping Wang, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.