Growth of Headache Research: A 1983-2014 bibliometric study

Area of Science:

• Bibliometrics
• Scientific publishing trends
• Headache research

Background:

• The scientific literature on headache has undergone significant evolution over the past three decades.
• Understanding the growth and geographic distribution of this literature is crucial for tracking research progress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the growth and geographic spread of scientific publications on headache from 1983 to 2014.
• To identify trends in journal participation and core publications within headache research.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of articles indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded database.
• Data retrieval and analysis from four distinct two-year periods between 1983 and 2014.

Main Results:

• The number of headache research articles increased nearly fourfold, from 468 to 1776.
• The number of participating countries more than doubled, expanding from 26 to 67.
• While the USA and Italy remained prolific, emerging countries like Turkey, China, and Brazil showed increased participation. Two core journals, Headache and Cephalalgia, persisted, while the total number of publishing journals tripled.

Conclusions:

• Headache research literature has experienced substantial growth and geographic expansion.
• The findings highlight evolving trends in scientific publishing within the field of headache.
• Further bibliometric studies are encouraged to continue monitoring these developments.