Landscape and trends in postoperative cognitive dysfunction: A bibliometric and visualized analysis.

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Neuroscience
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a complex and extensively researched topic in anesthesiology.
• Despite significant research, the pathogenesis of POCD remains unclear, and global research trends require analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of research on POCD over the past 30 years.
• To identify global research trends, key institutions, influential publications, and emerging hotspots in POCD research.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of 2290 articles published between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 2022.
• Data sourced from Web of Science, with visualization and analysis performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer.

Main Results:

• China leads in publication volume, while the United States shows higher research centrality.
• Capital Medical University and Duke University are leading institutions in POCD research.
• Key research hotspots include neuroinflammation, cardiac surgery, delirium, general anesthesia, and perioperative neurocognitive disorder.

Conclusions:

• Global research on POCD is experiencing rapid growth.
• Future research should prioritize understanding the etiology and mechanisms of POCD.
• Perioperative neurocognitive disorder is identified as a significant and ongoing frontier in POCD research.