Evolution of gut microbiota and cognitive dysfunctionfrom 2015 to 2025: a bibliometric and knowledge mapping analysis

Objective To analyze the development trends, research status, and hotspots in the field of gut microbiota and cognitive dysfunction from 2015 to 2025, providing a more comprehensive reference for researchers in this field and exploring cutting-edge research directions.

Methods Literature in relevant research fields was retrieved from the WoSCC database. Bibliometric and visualization analyses were conducted using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, ScimangoGraphica, and the R package "bibliometrix".

Results A total of 665 eligible English articles were retrieved from the WoSCC database. The analysis revealed that the number of publications has shown an increasing trend annually since 2018. China and the United States had the leading roles globally in terms of the number of publications and collaborative relationships. Huazhong University of Science and Technology are the most influential research institution in this field, with NUTRIENTS (IF=4.8) being the journal with the highest number of publications, and KIM D H ranking first in outstanding contributions and influence. Keyword co-occurrence analysis indicated that "neuronal apoptosis", "SCFAs", "synaptic dysfunction", and "dementia prevention" were the research hotspots in this field. Furthermore, trend analysis revealed that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), important metabolites of gut microbiota, insulin resistance, and neuroinflammation were the research frontiers in this field, highlighting insulin resistance as a mediating hub in microbiota-cognition research. Additionally, traditional Chinese medicine interventions (such as electroacupuncture) were identified as an emerging characteristic direction in this field.

Conclusion Through bibliometric research, the current status and development trends of gut microbiota and cognitive dysfunction research are analyzed from multiple perspectives in the paper. Comprehensive insights into the cutting-edge dynamics of this research field are provided, offering valuable references for further in-depth research by more scholars in this area.