Trends in peripheral nerve injury research: a bibliometric analysis focused on molecular mechanisms

TL;DR

This study uses bibliometric analysis to track trends in peripheral nerve injury research, highlighting key areas like molecular mechanisms and emerging technologies.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of PNI molecular mechanism research trends and hotspots from 2005 to 2025.

Findings

China is the leading contributor to PNI research, followed by the United States and Japan.

Advances in bioinformatics technologies are driving research on PNI molecular mechanisms.

Future research is expected to focus on precision medicine and gene editing for improved treatment outcomes.

Abstract

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) remains a significant clinical challenge due to its limited recovery outcomes. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial for improving therapeutic efficacy. This study aims to explore the current status, research hotspots, and development trends of molecular mechanism studies in PNI through bibliometric analysis, providing valuable insights for the development of more effective treatment strategies.

Relevant literature on PNI and its molecular mechanisms published from January 1, 2005, to November 22, 2025, was retrieved from the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were utilized to analyze research hotspots and trends, generating visual maps of countries, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and references.

A total of 1,799 publications were analyzed, revealing a steady annual increase in PNI-related research, with a significant surge after 2016. China emerged as the leading contributor, followed by the United States and Japan. Nantong University and Sun Yat-sen University were identified as the major contributing institutions, with Gu Xiaosong being one of the most influential authors. Key journals in the field include Neural Regeneration Research and Molecular Pain. Research hotspots include Schwann cells, neuropathic pain, inflammatory responses, non-coding RNAs, and molecular signaling pathways. Notably, advances in bioinformatics technologies, such as high-throughput genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and single-cell sequencing, have significantly propelled the research on PNI molecular mechanisms. Future research is likely to focus on the application of precision medicine and gene editing technologies to enhance PNI treatment outcomes.

This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the current status and trends in PNI molecular mechanism research, revealing key research areas and future directions. The advancement of bioinformatics technologies is expected to drive the development of future therapeutic strategies, offering new avenues for nerve regeneration and functional recovery.

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