Research on major depression in China: A perspective from bibliometric analysis
Pan Chen1, Wei Bai1, Xiao-Hong Li2
1Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, & Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China; Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China; Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China.
Background:
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a major psychiatric disorder with increasing research intensity. However, papers written in languages other than English are less accessible to international readers. This study examined the bibliometric features of English and Chinese language research papers about major depressive disorder in China.
Methods:
The Web of Science (WoS) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were searched for eligible studies. Authorship collaboration networks and keyword co-occurrences were estimated and visualized.
Results:
There were 2,220 and 63,306 publications on MDD in the WoS and CNKI between 1990 and 2021, respectively. The number of papers increased annually during the period. For papers written in English, the Journal of Affective Disorders (201; 9.05 %) had the highest activity and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University had the most publications (232; 10.45 %). For papers in Chinese, the highest activity was with the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (1,025; 1.62 %) and the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (1,098; 1.73 %). Xiang YT (68; 3.06 %) and Yuan YG (179; 0.28 %) were the most productive authors in the English and Chinese languages, respectively. Keyword analysis showed that English and Chinese publications differed in emphasis (English: related psychiatric conditions, study design, clinical aspects, and assessment instruments; Chinese: somatic comorbidities, antidepressants, related psychiatric conditions, treatment of depression, and electrophysiological).
Conclusions:
The number of scientific papers on MDD increased yearly, and Chinese authors writing in English have an increasing influence. Except for a few authors, productivity and influence were dominated by national universities and specialized medical universities.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Depression: Overview
Long-term Depression
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...


