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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
13:32
High Content Screening in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: January 6, 2012
Phase Separation Drives Pathological Aggregation in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A 15-Year Bibliometric Landscape
Chanyuan Zhang1,2,3,4, Siyao Chen5, He Zhao1,2,3,4
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, China.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|July 8, 2026
Summary
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) drives neurodegenerative diseases by forming pathological protein aggregates. Research is shifting towards targeting these aberrant condensates for therapeutic interventions.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is crucial for membraneless organelle assembly.
- Dysregulation of LLPS contributes to protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically map the research landscape of LLPS in neurodegeneration.
- To identify dominant research trends, key players, and emerging therapeutic strategies.
Main Methods:
- Bibliometric analysis of 784 Web of Science articles published between 2009 and 2024 using CiteSpace.
- Identification of dominant research contributions, collaborative networks, and key research hotspots.
Main Results:
- The United States, China, and Germany are leading contributors.
- Key research areas include TDP-43, FUS, and alpha-synuclein aggregation, stress granule dysfunction, and nucleocytoplasmic transport defects.
- Emerging research focuses on therapeutic interventions targeting pathological condensates.
Conclusions:
- LLPS is a critical link between molecular pathology and translational research in neurodegenerative disorders.
- The field is transitioning from mechanistic studies to therapeutic applications.
- Phase-targeted interventions show promise for halting or reversing protein aggregation and restoring cellular homeostasis.
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