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Robert M. Sapolsky

Robert M. Sapolsky

Stanford University
United States

Award Badge
Neuroscience
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Medicine

D-Index
144
Citations
94733
World Ranking
1423
National Ranking
830

Neuroscience

D-Index
145
Citations
95567
World Ranking
167
National Ranking
106

Robert M. Sapolsky 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 Robert M. Sapolsky 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: 482 publications — 94th percentile

94% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

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

Robert M. Sapolsky 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 Robert M. Sapolsky 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: 145 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
  • 2013 - APA Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology, American Psychological Association
  • 1996 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • 1987 - Fellow of the MacArthur Foundation
  • 1987 - Fellow of Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Overview

Robert M. Sapolsky is a researcher affiliated with Stanford University in the United States. Their work primarily spans neuroscience, with considerable contributions in related subfields including behavioral neuroscience, social psychology, endocrine and autonomic systems, cognitive neuroscience, and philosophy.

Their recent scholarly articles include:

  • "Glucocorticoids, the evolution of the stress-response, and the primate predicament," 2021, published in Neurobiology of Stress
  • "Life without free will: Does it preclude possibilities?" 2024, published in Possibility Studies & Society
  • "Scars and PARs in a close relative," 2024, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

In addition to these, Sapolsky has been associated with coauthored works alongside researchers such as Paul R. Ehrlich, Marcus W. Feldman, Sandra Kahn, Simon S. Wong, and Firdaus S. Dhabhar.

Frequent venues where their research appears include BioScience, Neurobiology of Stress, Possibility Studies & Society, Stress, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researcher's primary topics of study focus on stress responses and cortisol, neuroendocrine regulation and behavior, mental health and psychiatry, and tryptophan and brain disorders. Other areas of their research include primate behavior and ecology, obstructive sleep apnea research, and the neuroscience of respiration and sleep.

Awards received by Robert M. Sapolsky include:

  • APA Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2013
  • Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 1996
  • Fellow of the MacArthur Foundation, 1987
  • Fellow of Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, 1987

Best Publications

  • How do glucocorticoids influence stress responses? Integrating permissive, suppressive, stimulatory, and preparative actions.

    Robert M. Sapolsky;L. Michael Romero;Allan U. Munck

  • The Neuroendocrinology of Stress and Aging: The Glucocorticoid Cascade Hypothesis

    Robert M. Sapolsky;Lewis C. Krey;Bruce S. McEwen

  • Glucocorticoids and hippocampal atrophy in neuropsychiatric disorders.

    Robert M. Sapolsky

  • The influence of social hierarchy on primate health

    Robert M. Sapolsky

  • Stress and cognitive function

    Bruce S McEwen;Robert M Sapolsky

  • The role of the hippocampus in feedback regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis.

    Lauren Jacobson;Robert Sapolsky

  • Why Stress Is Bad for Your Brain

    Robert M. Sapolsky

  • Interleukin-1 stimulates the secretion of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor.

    Robert Sapolsky;Catherine Rivier;Gayle Yamamoto;Paul Plotsky

  • Prolonged glucocorticoid exposure reduces hippocampal neuron number: implications for aging

    RM Sapolsky;LC Krey;BS McEwen

  • Hippocampal damage associated with prolonged glucocorticoid exposure in primates

    RM Sapolsky;H Uno;CS Rebert;CE Finch

  • Diurnal Cortisol Rhythm as a Predictor of Breast Cancer Survival

    Sandra E. Sephton;Robert M. Sapolsky;Helena C. Kraemer;David Spiegel

  • Reproduction and resistance to stress: When and how

    J. C. Wingfield;R. M. Sapolsky

  • Effect of neonatal handling on age-related impairments associated with the hippocampus.

    M. J. Meaney;D. H. Aitken;C. Van Berkel;Seema Bhatnagar

  • Maturation of the adrenocortical stress response: Neuroendocrine control mechanisms and the stress hyporesponsive period

    Robert M. Sapolsky;Michael J. Meaney

  • Environmental Enrichment Reduces Aβ Levels and Amyloid Deposition in Transgenic Mice

    Orly Lazarov;John Robinson;Ya Ping Tang;Ilana S. Hairston

  • Glucocorticoid-sensitive hippocampal neurons are involved in terminating the adrenocortical stress response

    Robert M. Sapolsky;Lewis C. Krey;Bruce S. McEwen

  • Stress, Glucocorticoids, and Damage to the Nervous System: The Current State of Confusion

    Robert M. Sapolsky

  • Stress, the Aging Brain, and the Mechanisms of Neuron Death

    Robert M. Sapolsky

  • Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers

    Robert M. Sapolsky

  • The possibility of neurotoxicity in the hippocampus in major depression: a primer on neuron death

    Robert M Sapolsky

  • Glucocorticoids potentiate ischemic injury to neurons: therapeutic implications.

    Robert M. Sapolsky;William A. Pulsinelli

Frequent Co-Authors

Gary K. Steinberg
Gary K. Steinberg Stanford University
Heng Zhao
Heng Zhao Capital Medical University
Midori A. Yenari
Midori A. Yenari University of California, San Francisco
Bruce S. McEwen
Bruce S. McEwen Rockefeller University
Michael J. Meaney
Michael J. Meaney McGill University
Jeanne Altmann
Jeanne Altmann Princeton University
Deveroux Ferguson
Deveroux Ferguson University of Arizona
Daniela Kaufer
Daniela Kaufer University of California, Berkeley
H. Craig Heller
H. Craig Heller Stanford University
Caleb E. Finch
Caleb E. Finch University of Southern California

External Links

Wikipedia of Robert M. Sapolsky Personal website of Robert M. Sapolsky

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