# Trends, Hotspots, and Future Directions of Research on Pain in Dystonia: A Bibliometric Analysis

## TL;DR

This study maps research trends in dystonia-related pain from 1981 to 2025, highlighting shifts in focus toward diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life.

## Contribution

A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of pain in dystonia, revealing emerging research directions and key contributors in the field.

## Key findings

- The USA led in publication output, with the University of London as the most productive institution.
- Research focus has shifted toward diagnosis, management, and botulinum neurotoxin use for dystonia-related pain.
- Keywords like 'quality of life' and 'botulinum neurotoxin' indicate growing interest in patient-centered outcomes.

## Abstract

Pain in dystonia is closely related neurological disorders, with significant impact on patients' quality of life. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis to examine the development trends, research hotspots, and future directions in the field of pain in dystonia.

Publications from 1981 to 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Bibliometric data were analyzed using the R package “Bibliometrix,” VOSviewer, and CiteSpace.

A total of 1225 articles were included in this study. The USA had the highest publication volume (329), followed by Germany (103) and Italy (87). The most productive institution was the University of London with 123 publications. Movement Disorders was one of the most influential journals in its field. Key authors in the field included Jankovic Joseph, Marinus Johan, and Van Hilten Jacobus J. The high‐frequency keywords were “double‐blind,” “efficacy,” and “spasmodic torticollis.” Keywords burst analysis showed emerging interests in “blepharospasm,” “botulinum neurotoxin,” “quality of life,” “diagnosis,” “management,” and “neurotoxin.”

This bibliometric study quantitatively analyzed research trends in pain in dystonia, identifying key contributors, hotspots, and emerging trends. Keywords result reflected the growing interest in improving patient outcomes through better diagnostic techniques and therapeutic interventions aimed at alleviating symptoms and enhancing the quality of life for individuals affected by this condition.

This bibliometric study, based on 1225 articles on pain in dystonia published between 1981 and 2025 within the Web of Science Core Collection, reveals key trends in the field. The research employed multiple bibliometric analysis tools, including the R package “Bibliometrix,” VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. The findings reveal a shift in research focus from foundational concepts and therapeutic efficacy toward emerging topics, including diagnosis, management, quality of life, and the use of botulinum neurotoxin for treating dystonia‐related pain.