A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Studies in Depression

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Psychiatry
• Pharmacogenomics
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Genetic polymorphisms significantly influence depression risk, medication efficacy, and adverse effects through metabolic and neurological pathways.
• A systematic bibliometric investigation into the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and depression was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric and visual analysis of the current status and research trends concerning SNPs and depression.
• To identify key research areas, influential publications, and emerging frontiers in SNP-depression research.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted on the Web of Science Core Collection, retrieving 10,043 articles published between 1998 and 2021.
• Bibliometric and visual analysis techniques, including CiteSpace software, were employed for collaborative network, co-citation, co-occurrence, and citation burst analyses.

Main Results:

• The Journal of Affective Disorders and Biological Psychiatry were identified as the most productive and co-cited journals, respectively.
• Thematic analysis revealed
• 5-HT
• as the largest and most recent research focus, indicating its foundational importance.
• "CYP2D6" emerged as a research hotspot, particularly since 2019, while
• BDNF
• ,
• COMT
• ,
• older adults
• ,
• loci
• , and
• DNA methylation
• represent new and developing research frontiers.

Conclusions:

• The study provides valuable insights into the existing research landscape and future directions for investigating the relationship between SNPs and depression.
• Findings can assist researchers in identifying potential collaborators and suitable journals for their work in this field.