Mapping the Evolution of Brain Organoid Research: A Decade of Progress and Future Perspectives (2015-2025)

Brain organoids have revolutionized neuroscience by providing unique in vitro models for studying human brain development and disease. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of brain organoid research from 2015 to 2025, integrating VOSviewer and CiteSpace, while using Scimago Graphica to enhance the visualization. Our journal analysis reveals Stem Cell Reports and Cell Stem Cell as stable high-impact venues, with Stem Cell Reports and Nature Communications showing the fastest growth. Geographically, the USA and European nations maintain dominance in both productivity and citation impact. We systematically mapped the field's evolution across three phases: the technological germination period (2001-2014), rapid expansion from foundation to application (2015-2020), and recent developments including refinement and ethical considerations (2020-2025). Our analysis reveals key factors contributing to the field's recent cooling trend, including standardization challenges, diversification trends, and emerging ethical concerns. We identify major research hotspots such as vascularization and microenvironment optimization and also highlight critical milestones such as the development of fused organoid systems and vascularized models. This study not only provides a historical perspective on brain organoid research but also offers valuable insights for future directions, emphasizing the need for standardized protocols, enhanced international and multidisciplinary collaboration, and balanced ethical frameworks to sustain progress in this transformative field.