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REVIEW article

Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Autonomic Neuroscience
Volume 18 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1510658
This article is part of the Research Topic Interaction between the Vagus Nerve and Social Communication View all 3 articles

Research hotspots and frontiers of vagus nerve stimulation in stroke: a bibliometric analysis

Provisionally accepted
Mingyue Liu Mingyue Liu 1Mengya Liu Mengya Liu 2Bohan Zhang Bohan Zhang 3Mingzhu Fang Mingzhu Fang 2*Ke Chen Ke Chen 2*Yishen Zhang Yishen Zhang 2*Qian Wang Qian Wang 1*Chunyan Tian Chunyan Tian 1*Liang Wu Liang Wu 1*Zhe Li Zhe Li 2*
  • 1 Department of Sports Rehabilitation,Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, Beijing, China
  • 2 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
  • 3 Centre for Smart Health, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR China

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

    Background: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for stroke treatment, drawing significant attention due to its potential benefits. However, despite this growing interest, a systematic bibliometric analysis of the research landscape is yet to be conducted.We performed a comprehensive search of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database for literature published between January 1, 2005, and August 31, 2024. CiteSpace and the Bibliometrix package in R software were used to generate knowledge maps and conduct a bibliometric analysis. This analysis focused on publication output, geographic distribution, institutional involvement, author and co-cited author networks, journal and co-cited journal relationships, co-cited references, and keyword trends.Results: During the study period, 316 publications on VNS in stroke were identified, authored by 1,631 researchers from 1,124 institutions across 172 countries or regions. The number of publications showed steady growth, with the United States of America(USA) leading as the primary contributor. The University of Texas System emerged as the most active research institution. Frontiers in Neuroscience published the highest number of articles, while Stroke had the most citations. Professor Michael P. Kilgard authored the largest number of papers and was also the most frequently cited researcher. The main research trends focus on investigating VNS mechanisms via animal models and exploring its application in improving post-stroke sensorimotor function in the upper limbs. Moreover, VNS is showing promise in enhancing non-motor functions, such as swallowing, speech, and cognition, while addressing complications like post-stroke insomnia, depression, and disruptions in gut microbiota. Conclusion: This bibliometric study offers a comprehensive overview of the research landscape and emerging trends in VNS for stroke rehabilitation, providing a solid foundation and reference point for future research directions in this field.

    Keywords: Vagus Nerve Stimulation, Stroke, bibliometric analysis, Hotspots and trends, Citespace

    Received: 13 Oct 2024; Accepted: 27 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Liu, Liu, Zhang, Fang, Chen, Zhang, Wang, Tian, Wu and Li. 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:
    Mingzhu Fang, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
    Ke Chen, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
    Yishen Zhang, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
    Qian Wang, Department of Sports Rehabilitation,Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, Beijing, China
    Chunyan Tian, Department of Sports Rehabilitation,Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, Beijing, China
    Liang Wu, Department of Sports Rehabilitation,Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital, Beijing, China
    Zhe Li, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 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.