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Donald W. Pfaff
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Neuroscience
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Medicine

D-Index
146
Citations
78900
World Ranking
1340
National Ranking
777

Neuroscience

D-Index
146
Citations
79023
World Ranking
164
National Ranking
104

Donald W. Pfaff publication distribution in Neuroscience in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Neuroscience in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Donald W. Pfaff sits on this spectrum.

38–47 publications: 18 scientists 48–57 publications: 79 scientists 58–67 publications: 193 scientists 68–77 publications: 323 scientists 78–87 publications: 406 scientists 88–97 publications: 452 scientists 98–107 publications: 539 scientists 108–117 publications: 505 scientists 118–127 publications: 522 scientists 128–137 publications: 469 scientists 138–147 publications: 456 scientists 148–157 publications: 459 scientists 158–167 publications: 397 scientists 168–177 publications: 383 scientists 178–187 publications: 350 scientists 188–197 publications: 302 scientists 198–207 publications: 306 scientists 208–217 publications: 262 scientists 218–227 publications: 242 scientists 228–237 publications: 220 scientists 238–247 publications: 203 scientists 248–257 publications: 174 scientists 258–267 publications: 176 scientists 268–277 publications: 175 scientists 278–287 publications: 125 scientists 288–297 publications: 116 scientists 298–307 publications: 127 scientists 308–317 publications: 128 scientists 318–327 publications: 99 scientists 328–337 publications: 89 scientists 338–347 publications: 78 scientists 348–357 publications: 96 scientists 358–367 publications: 66 scientists 368–377 publications: 59 scientists 378–387 publications: 65 scientists 388–397 publications: 54 scientists 398–407 publications: 48 scientists 408–417 publications: 49 scientists 418–427 publications: 34 scientists 428–437 publications: 31 scientists 438–447 publications: 30 scientists 448–457 publications: 31 scientists 458–467 publications: 36 scientists 468–477 publications: 40 scientists 478–487 publications: 35 scientists 488–497 publications: 30 scientists 498–507 publications: 23 scientists 508–517 publications: 26 scientists 518–527 publications: 20 scientists 528–537 publications: 23 scientists 538–547 publications: 20 scientists 548–557 publications: 20 scientists 558–567 publications: 17 scientists 568–577 publications: 14 scientists 578–587 publications: 20 scientists 588–597 publications: 20 scientists 598–607 publications: 19 scientists 608–617 publications: 18 scientists 618–627 publications: 17 scientists 628–637 publications: 11 scientists 638–647 publications: 11 scientists 648–657 publications: 11 scientists 658–667 publications: 8 scientists 668–677 publications: 7 scientists 678–687 publications: 11 scientists 688–697 publications: 10 scientists 698–707 publications: 4 scientists 708–717 publications: 6 scientists 718–727 publications: 5 scientists 728–737 publications: 5 scientists 738–747 publications: 9 scientists 748–757 publications: 9 scientists 758–767 publications: 3 scientists 768–777 publications: 7 scientists 778–787 publications: 7 scientists 788–797 publications: 6 scientists 798–807 publications: 2 scientists 808–817 publications: 2 scientists 818–827 publications: 7 scientists 828–837 publications: 0 scientists 838–847 publications: 9 scientists 848–857 publications: 3 scientists 858–867 publications: 1 scientists 868–877 publications: 3 scientists 878–886 publications: 6 scientists 887+ publications: 100 scientists
38 publications 887+

This scientist: 955 publications — 99th percentile

99% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 887 publications or more.

Donald W. Pfaff D-index placement in Neuroscience in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Neuroscience scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Donald W. Pfaff sits on this spectrum.

30–31 D-Index: 42 scientists 32–33 D-Index: 172 scientists 34–35 D-Index: 296 scientists 36–37 D-Index: 435 scientists 38–39 D-Index: 459 scientists 40–41 D-Index: 456 scientists 42–43 D-Index: 467 scientists 44–45 D-Index: 478 scientists 46–47 D-Index: 512 scientists 48–49 D-Index: 435 scientists 50–51 D-Index: 425 scientists 52–53 D-Index: 418 scientists 54–55 D-Index: 392 scientists 56–57 D-Index: 357 scientists 58–59 D-Index: 334 scientists 60–61 D-Index: 328 scientists 62–63 D-Index: 260 scientists 64–65 D-Index: 278 scientists 66–67 D-Index: 239 scientists 68–69 D-Index: 250 scientists 70–71 D-Index: 210 scientists 72–73 D-Index: 200 scientists 74–75 D-Index: 189 scientists 76–77 D-Index: 170 scientists 78–79 D-Index: 146 scientists 80–81 D-Index: 113 scientists 82–83 D-Index: 126 scientists 84–85 D-Index: 100 scientists 86–87 D-Index: 84 scientists 88–89 D-Index: 99 scientists 90–91 D-Index: 84 scientists 92–93 D-Index: 85 scientists 94–95 D-Index: 72 scientists 96–97 D-Index: 76 scientists 98–99 D-Index: 45 scientists 100–101 D-Index: 49 scientists 102–103 D-Index: 43 scientists 104–105 D-Index: 32 scientists 106–107 D-Index: 45 scientists 108–109 D-Index: 50 scientists 110–111 D-Index: 32 scientists 112–113 D-Index: 39 scientists 114–115 D-Index: 32 scientists 116–117 D-Index: 29 scientists 118–119 D-Index: 27 scientists 120–121 D-Index: 19 scientists 122–123 D-Index: 23 scientists 124–125 D-Index: 27 scientists 126–127 D-Index: 16 scientists 128–129 D-Index: 24 scientists 130–131 D-Index: 13 scientists 132–133 D-Index: 21 scientists 134–135 D-Index: 17 scientists 136–137 D-Index: 14 scientists 138–139 D-Index: 15 scientists 140–141 D-Index: 10 scientists 142–143 D-Index: 10 scientists 144–145 D-Index: 13 scientists 146–147 D-Index: 9 scientists 148–149 D-Index: 8 scientists 150–151 D-Index: 6 scientists 152–153 D-Index: 6 scientists 154–155 D-Index: 7 scientists 156–157 D-Index: 7 scientists 158–159 D-Index: 10 scientists 160–161 D-Index: 4 scientists 162 D-Index: 8 scientists 163+ D-Index: 100 scientists
30 D-Index 163+

This scientist: 146 D-Index — 98th percentile

98% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 163 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Neuroscience in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Neuroscience in United States Leader Award
  • 1994 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 1992 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Overview

Donald W. Pfaff is affiliated with Rockefeller University in the United States and has contributed extensively to the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. Their research spans several subfields such as cognitive neuroscience, social psychology, cellular and molecular neuroscience, molecular biology, and experimental and cognitive psychology.

Their work focuses on key topics including neural dynamics and brain function, neuroendocrine regulation and behavior, animal behavior and reproduction, sleep and wakefulness research, neuroscience and neuropharmacology research, memory and neural mechanisms, and zebrafish biomedical research applications.

Pfaff's recent publications include:

  • "Triphenyl phosphate permeates the blood brain barrier and induces neurotoxicity in mouse brain," 2020, Chemosphere
  • "Fish as a model in social neuroscience: conservation and diversity in the social brain network," 2021, Biological Reviews/Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
  • "Abolition of male sexual behaviors in mice lacking estrogen receptors alpha and beta (alpha beta ERKO)," 2021, UNC Libraries
  • "Temporal relations between peripheral and central arousals in good and poor sleepers," 2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • "Sexual motivation: problem solved and new problems introduced," 2020, Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation

Their frequent co-authors include Lee-Ming Kow, Hagar Kandel, Murat Kılınç, Martin A. Daniels, and Ana María Magariños.

Donald W. Pfaff has published in various scientific venues such as:

  • Chemosphere
  • Biological Reviews/Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • UNC Libraries
  • Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation

Pfaff is also an author of the book Laws of Human Behavior, expected to be published by The MIT Press in 2025.

The scientist has been recognized with several awards, including election as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1994 and as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1992.

Best Publications

  • Atlas of estradiol-concentrating cells in the central nervous system of the female rat.

    Donald Pfaff;Melvyn Keiner

  • Long-term gene expression and phenotypic correction using adeno-associated virus vectors in the mammalian brain

    Michael G. Kaplitt;Paola Leone;Richard J. Samulski;Xiao Xiao

  • Relationship of arousal to circadian anticipatory behavior: ventromedial hypothalamus: one node in a hunger-arousal network.

    Ana C. Ribeiro;Joseph LeSauter;Christophe Dupré;Donald W. Pfaff

  • Origin of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone neurons.

    Marlene Schwanzel-Fukuda;Donald W. Pfaff

  • Hormones, brain, and behavior

    Donald W. Pfaff;Arthur P. Arnold;Anne M. Etgen;Susan E. Fahrbach

  • Catechol-O-methyltransferase-deficient mice exhibit sexually dimorphic changes in catecholamine levels and behavior

    Joseph A. Gogos;Maria Morgan;Victoria Luine;Miklos Santha

  • Immunolocalization of estrogen receptor β in the mouse brain: Comparison with estrogen receptor α

    Sudha Warrier Mitra;Elena Hoskin;Joel Yudkovitz;Lisset Pear

  • Estrogens and brain function

    Donald W. Pfaff

  • Connections of the median and dorsal raphe nuclei in the rat: an autoradiographic and degeneration study.

    Lily C. A. Conrad;Christiana M. Leonard;Donald W. Pfaff

  • Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)-expressing cells do not migrate normally in an inherited hypogonadal (Kallmann) syndrome

    Marlene Schwanzel-Fukuda;David Bick;Donald W. Pfaff

  • Roles of estrogen receptor-alpha gene expression in reproduction-related behaviors in female mice.

    Sonoko Ogawa;Vincent Eng;Julia Taylor;Dennis B. Lubahn

  • Absence of oestradiol concentration in cell nuclei of LHRH-immunoreactive neurones

    B. D. Shivers;R. E. Harlan;J. I. Morrell;D. W. Pfaff

  • Luteinizing hormone-releasing factor potentiates lordosis behavior in hypophysectomized ovariectomized female rats.

    Donald W. Pfaff

  • THE BRAIN AS A TARGET FOR STEROID HORMONE ACTION

    Bruce S. McEwen;Paula G. Davis;Bruce Parsons;Donald W. Pfaff

  • Deconstructing and Reconstructing Theory of Mind

    Sara M. Schaafsma;Donald W. Pfaff;Robert P. Spunt;Ralph Adolphs

  • Silencing of estrogen receptor α in the ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus leads to metabolic syndrome

    Sergei Musatov;Walter Chen;Donald W. Pfaff;Charles V. Mobbs

  • Behavioral effects of estrogen receptor gene disruption in male mice

    Sonoko Ogawa;Dennis B. Lubahn;Kenneth S. Korach;Donald W. Pfaff

  • Efferents from medial basal forebrain and hypothalamus in the rat. II. An autoradiographic study of the anterior hypothalamus.

    Lily C. A. Conrad;Donald W. Pfaff

  • Immunohistochemical analysis of magnocellular elements in rat hypothalamus: Distribution and numbers of cells containing neurophysin, oxytocin, and vasopressin

    C. H. Rhodes;J. I. Morriell;D. W. Pfaff

  • Efferents from medial basal forebrain and hypothalamus in the rat. I. An autoradiographic study of the medial preoptic area

    Lily C. A. Conrad;Donald W. Pfaff

Frequent Co-Authors

Lee-Ming Kow
Lee-Ming Kow Rockefeller University
Bruce S. McEwen
Bruce S. McEwen Rockefeller University
Elena Choleris
Elena Choleris University of Guelph
Robert T. Rubin
Robert T. Rubin University of California, Los Angeles
Kenneth S. Korach
Kenneth S. Korach National Institutes of Health
Martin Kavaliers
Martin Kavaliers University of Western Ontario
Jessica A. Mong
Jessica A. Mong University of Maryland, Baltimore
Susan E. Fahrbach
Susan E. Fahrbach Wake Forest University
Jan-Åke Gustafsson
Jan-Åke Gustafsson University of Houston
Anders Ågmo
Anders Ågmo University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway

External Links

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Best Scientists Citing Donald W. Pfaff

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Publications: 264

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Luis M. Garcia-Segura

Spanish National Research Council

Publications: 83

Allan E. Herbison

Allan E. Herbison

University of Cambridge

Publications: 81

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Margaret M. McCarthy

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Publications: 79

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Paul E. Micevych

University of California, Los Angeles

Publications: 79

Arthur P. Arnold

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University of California, Los Angeles

Publications: 74

Jan-Åke Gustafsson

Jan-Åke Gustafsson

University of Houston

Publications: 71

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James G. Pfaus

Charles University

Publications: 70

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Emilie F. Rissman

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