Navigating the vestibular maze: text-mining analysis of publication trends over five decades

TL;DR

This paper analyzes 50 years of vestibular science research trends, showing how focus areas like diagnosis and treatment have evolved over time.

Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive, text-mining-based analysis of publication trends in vestibular science over five decades.

Findings

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and Meniere’s disease were the most studied conditions, though vestibular migraine research has increased recently.

ENG/VNG and VEMP were the most discussed diagnostic tools, while physiotherapy was the primary treatment modality.

Research on vestibular science has grown across all age groups, with notable shifts in focus over time.

Abstract

The field of vestibular science, encompassing the study of the vestibular system and associated disorders, has experienced notable growth and evolving trends over the past five decades. Here, we explore the changing landscape in vestibular science, focusing on epidemiology, peripheral pathologies, diagnosis methods, treatment, and technological advancements.

Publication data was obtained from the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) PubMed database. The analysis included epidemiological, etiological, diagnostic, and treatment-focused studies on peripheral vestibular disorders, with a particular emphasis on changes in topics and trends of publications over time.

Our dataset of 39,238 publications revealed a rising trend in research across all age groups. Etiologically, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and Meniere’s disease were the most researched conditions, but the prevalence of studies on vestibular migraine showed a marked increase in recent years. Electronystagmography (ENG)/ Videonystagmography (VNG) and Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) were the most commonly discussed diagnostic tools, while physiotherapy stood out as the primary treatment modality.

Our study presents a unique opportunity and point of view, exploring the evolving landscape of vestibular science publications over the past five decades. The analysis underscored the dynamic nature of the field, highlighting shifts in focus and emerging publication trends in diagnosis and treatment over time.

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