World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Brain
H-index 103

Brain

0006-8950

Published by: Oxford University Press

https://academic.oup.com/brain

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Neuroscience 4 1201 1183 97
Medicine 43 993 1066 93

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 2843
Documents by Best Scientists*: 1843
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 118
SCIMAGO H-index: 391
SCIMAGO SJR: 4.72
Impact Factor: 11.7

Overview

Top Research Topics at Brain?

The scientific interests tackled in the journal are Neuroscience, Pathology, Internal medicine, Anatomy and Audiology. Discussions in the journal are anchored in the subject of Neuroscience and the similar topic of Parkinson's disease. The concepts on Pathology presented in the journal can also apply to other research fields, including White matter, Magnetic resonance imaging, Multiple sclerosis and Central nervous system disease.

Endocrinology and Cardiology are some topics wherein Internal medicine research discussed in the journal have an impact.

  • Neuroscience (26.60%)
  • Pathology (15.01%)
  • Internal medicine (9.61%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Action recognition in the premotor cortex (3735 citations)
  • The precuneus: a review of its functional anatomy and behavioural correlates. (3446 citations)
  • SOMATIC MOTOR AND SENSORY REPRESENTATION IN THE CEREBRAL CORTEX OF MAN AS STUDIED BY ELECTRICAL STIMULATION (3010 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Brain:

The most cited articles focus on Neuroscience, Pathology, Internal medicine, Central nervous system disease and Audiology. While Neuroscience is the key highlight in the journal papers, thet also covered some subjects on Parkinson's disease and Basal ganglia. The works on Pathology tackled in the published articles bring together disciplines like White matter, Magnetic resonance imaging and Multiple sclerosis.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Internal medicine
  • Disease
  • Gene

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The topics of Neuroscience, Disease, Internal medicine, Parkinson's disease and Pathology are the focal point of discussions in the journal. It features Neuroscience research that overlaps with concepts in Deep brain stimulation. Dementia is the primary subject of Disease works presented in the journal.

It connects research in Dementia with the related topic of Cognition. While the journal focused on Internal medicine, it was also able to explore topics like Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Oncology. The journal holds forums on Pathology that merges themes from other disciplines such as White matter and Multiple sclerosis.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Epidemiological and cohort study finds no association between COVID-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome. (66 citations)
  • COVID-19 neuropathology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital. (30 citations)
  • Time course of phosphorylated-tau181 in blood across the Alzheimer's disease spectrum. (28 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Brain (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Alastair Compston (91 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
  • John R. Hodges (78 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 less than at the previous edition,
  • David J. Brooks (72 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • W. Lloyd Andriezen (65 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • C. D. Marsden (60 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Brain (based on the number of publications) are:

  • University College London (505 papers) published 39 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of Cambridge (438 papers) published 25 papers at the last edition, 7 more than at the previous edition,
  • French Institute of Health and Medical Research (382 papers) published 13 papers at the last edition, 2 more than at the previous edition,
  • UCL Institute of Neurology (334 papers) published 36 papers at the last edition, 3 less than at the previous edition,
  • University of Oxford (327 papers) published 22 papers at the last edition, 7 more than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 14.94% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 31.98% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 13.29% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 14.41% of all publications and 40.32% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Career Development in Neuroscience

While diving into the exciting world of neuroscience, it's also essential to plan ahead for potential career paths. Whether you're interested in working closely with patients as a clinician, conducting cutting-edge research in academia, or collaborating with scientists in the pharmaceutical industry, the field of neuroscience offers diverse career opportunities.

Emphasizing the importance of specialized roles in neuroscience research, one such field, speech-language pathology, is distinctly crucial. It directly intersects neuroscience with clinical practice as it aims to understand, diagnose, and treat disorders related to speech, language, and communication. For those contemplating a career as a speech-language pathologist, knowing the academic and licensing requirements is essential.

One example is the state of Kentucky, where becoming a speech-language pathologist requires obtaining a master's degree in the field, gaining the required clinical experience through a supervised postgraduate fellowship, and finally, passing a national examination. If this interests you, learn more about the entire process by visiting the following page on speech pathologist requirements in Kentucky.

In conclusion, with a vast range of research areas available in neuroscience, there are numerous career paths to choose from. Striving to become a specialist in a particular area, like a speech-language pathologist, can not only offer immense job satisfaction but also contribute significantly to the overall development of neuroscience.

Top Publications

  • The emerging spectrum of COVID-19 neurology: clinical, radiological and laboratory findings.

    Ross W Paterson;Ross W Paterson;Rachel L Brown;Laura Benjamin;Laura Benjamin;Ross Nortley;Ross Nortley

    (2020)
    1145 Citations
  • Brain-first versus body-first Parkinson’s disease: a multimodal imaging case-control study

    Jacob Horsager;Katrine B Andersen;Karoline Knudsen;Casper Skjærbæk

    (2020)
    705 Citations
  • Head-to-head comparison of 10 plasma phospho-tau assays in prodromal Alzheimer’s disease

    Unknown

    (2022)
    563 Citations
  • Impaired glymphatic function and clearance of tau in an Alzheimer's disease model.

    Ian F. Harrison;Ozama Ismail;Asif Machhada;Niall Colgan;Niall Colgan

    (2020)
    519 Citations
  • COVID-19 neuropathology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital.

    Kiran T Thakur;Emily Happy Miller;Michael D Glendinning;Osama Al-Dalahmah

    (2021)
    430 Citations
  • Cognitive impairment and altered cerebral glucose metabolism in the subacute stage of COVID-19.

    Jonas A Hosp;Andrea Dressing;Ganna Blazhenets;Tobias Bormann

    (2021)
    380 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For those interested in healthcare but seeking alternatives to traditional medical school, several related online degrees offer valuable career opportunities. Programs that are easier to access can provide a quicker path into the healthcare field, as seen with some what nursing programs are easy to get into. These options are ideal for students looking to start a nursing career without the extended timeframe of a medical degree.

Healthcare administration is another growing area, and pursuing an accelerated healthcare administration degree can help professionals quickly move into leadership roles in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare organizations. For students concerned about costs, exploring online healthcare administration programs offers budget-friendly options without sacrificing quality.

Nurse practitioners continue to play a crucial role in patient care, and earning a degree through online FNP programs allows flexibility for working nurses aiming to advance their clinical skills and qualifications.

Exploring these related pathways ensures prospective students can find a suitable balance of accessibility, affordability, and career advancement while staying connected to the healthcare sector.

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