Mapping miRNA Research in Schizophrenia: A Scientometric Review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in brain development and function, implicating them in neuropsychiatric disorders.
• Schizophrenia research increasingly utilizes miRNA studies to understand its complex aetiology.
• Existing reviews often fail to capture the full scope of miRNA and schizophrenia research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize the literature on microRNAs (miRNAs) in schizophrenia using bibliometric and scientometric methods.
• To identify major research clusters and historical trends in this field.
• To provide an easy-to-understand overview of the research landscape.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometrics and scientometrics, specifically document co-citation analysis (DCA).
• Literature search on Scopus yielding 992 papers.
• Analysis using CiteSpace software to generate a network of research clusters.

Main Results:

• Document co-citation analysis revealed 13 major thematic clusters within miRNA and schizophrenia research.
• The study visually represents the historical development and thematic distribution of publications.
• Qualitative discussion of each identified cluster provides thematic insights.

Conclusions:

• MicroRNA research has significantly expanded into schizophrenia studies, driven by prior non-coding RNA findings.
• The field is increasingly leveraging big data and bioinformatics.
• Future research will likely focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and translational studies for therapeutic development.