# Neurovascular Coupling: Scientometric Analysis of 30 Years Research (1996–2025)

## TL;DR

This paper maps 30 years of research on neurovascular coupling, showing trends in publications, key contributors, and emerging technologies in the field.

## Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive scientometric analysis of NVC research, highlighting global collaboration and thematic evolution.

## Key findings

- The United States leads in NVC research, with China showing rapid growth in participation.
- Keywords like 'fNIRS' and 'resting-state fMRI' indicate the rising role of noninvasive imaging in NVC studies.
- Key research themes include cerebral autoregulation, functional connectivity, and Alzheimer's disease metabolism.

## Abstract

Neurovascular coupling (NVC) is the functional mechanism that links brain neural activity with the dynamic regulation of local blood flow and oxygenation. In recent years, there has been an increasing academic attention to the role of NVC in its pathophysiology and the application of new technologies.

This study aims to map the research landscape related to NVC through scientometric analysis.

Publications from the past 30 years were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Data were analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and the bibliometrix R package, including co‐citation and keyword co‐occurrence network analyses. Key metrics such as publication counts and citation frequencies were assessed to identify trends and collaboration patterns among countries, institutions, and authors.

Among the 2047 articles included in the study, United States has maintained a clear leading position. Meanwhile, the number of Chinese research participants has grown rapidly over the past decade. The most prolific authors were Professors Iadecola Costantino and Tarantini Stefano. The research findings of Professor Tarantini Stefano have been widely recognized by researchers in the field. Keyword analysis identified “cerebral blood flow,” “neuronal activity,” and “neurovascular coupling” as dominant terms, emphasizing the central role of brain function and imaging techniques such as fMRI, TCD, and optical imaging. The emergence of “fNIRS,” “resting‐state fMRI,” and “autoregulation” highlights the growing impact of noninvasive neuroimaging in studying brain–blood flow interactions. Cluster analysis revealed key research themes including functional connectivity, nitric oxide‐mediated vascular regulation, cerebral autoregulation, Alzheimer's disease metabolism, and CO2‐induced hemodynamic modulation.

Over the past three decades, NVC has emerged as a key research focus, driven by interdisciplinary collaboration and advances in brain connectivity, dysfunction, and technology. In the future, integrating artificial intelligence, multi‐omics analysis, and high‐resolution imaging will further elucidate NVC mechanisms in health and disease, promoting interdisciplinary translation and breakthroughs in neuroscience and brain health.

Bibliometric landscape of neurovascular coupling (1996–2025). This graphical abstract summarizes the bibliometric structure and intellectual evolution of the neurovascular coupling field. (A) Displays the number of publications and citations per year from 1996 to 2025. (B) Presents circular plot of international collaboration. (C) Presents Journal citation network. (D) Displays the co‐authorship network and temporal evolution. (E) Depicts the keywords co‐citation timeline, revealing major thematic clusters such as “functional connectivity,” “nitric oxide,” “cerebral autoregulation,” and “optical imaging.”