year 13, Issue 1 (5-2026)
CJS 2026, 13(1): 109-124 |
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Bijari N, Mahmoudi Topkanlo H, Sangari M. Scientometric analysis of global research on the role of tau protein in Alzheimer's disease. CJS 2026; 13 (1) :109-124
URL: http://cjs.mubabol.ac.ir/article-1-436-en.html
URL: http://cjs.mubabol.ac.ir/article-1-436-en.html
Knowledge and Information Science Department, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran , hmahmoudi@semnan.ac.ir
Abstract: (19 Views)
Background and aim: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, is a major global health challenge. Tau protein plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of this disease. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications on tau protein and Alzheimer’s disease to identify trends in scientific growth, influential researchers and institutions, collaboration patterns, highly cited articles and journals, the conceptual structure of knowledge, and emerging frontiers in the field.
Materials and methods: The present study is applied in nature and employs a bibliometric approach. The study population comprised all publications related to Alzheimer’s disease and tau protein indexed in the Web of Science database up to 2025. Relevant keywords and MeSH terms for Alzheimer's disease and tau protein were extracted from the PubMed database and the Medical Subject Headings thesaurus, and their suitability was validated by subject matter experts in Alzheimer's research. The extracted data were processed using the bibliometric tools Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. Furthermore, correlation analyses and time-series regression models were run in SPSS 22.
Findings: The The findings revealed that 12,622 articles related to tau protein and Alzheimer’s disease were published in 1,573 journals indexed in the Web of Science database between 1967 and 2025. Scientific production in this field showed a significant and sustained growth trend, further confirmed by time-series regression analysis. The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada were identified as the leading contributors to scientific output, and the University of California, Harvard University, the University of London, and University College London (UCL) were among the most influential research institutions. Keyword analysis indicated that concepts such as Alzheimer’s disease, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), paired helical filaments (PHFs), tau phosphorylation, amyloid-beta, and neuropathology constituted the major research themes. Additionally, the correlation test yielded a statistically significant positive coefficient (r=0.682) between keyword occurrence frequency and their temporal emergence, reflecting increased research interest in nascent topics, especially tau protein, over recent years.
Conclusion: Research on tau protein in Alzheimer’s disease has expanded substantially over recent decades, evolving from descriptive investigations toward studies focused on molecular mechanisms, biomarkers, and targeted therapeutic strategies. The prominence of topics such as tau phosphorylation, neurofibrillary tangles, and tauopathies underscores their pivotal role in shaping the future of Alzheimer’s research.
Materials and methods: The present study is applied in nature and employs a bibliometric approach. The study population comprised all publications related to Alzheimer’s disease and tau protein indexed in the Web of Science database up to 2025. Relevant keywords and MeSH terms for Alzheimer's disease and tau protein were extracted from the PubMed database and the Medical Subject Headings thesaurus, and their suitability was validated by subject matter experts in Alzheimer's research. The extracted data were processed using the bibliometric tools Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. Furthermore, correlation analyses and time-series regression models were run in SPSS 22.
Findings: The The findings revealed that 12,622 articles related to tau protein and Alzheimer’s disease were published in 1,573 journals indexed in the Web of Science database between 1967 and 2025. Scientific production in this field showed a significant and sustained growth trend, further confirmed by time-series regression analysis. The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada were identified as the leading contributors to scientific output, and the University of California, Harvard University, the University of London, and University College London (UCL) were among the most influential research institutions. Keyword analysis indicated that concepts such as Alzheimer’s disease, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), paired helical filaments (PHFs), tau phosphorylation, amyloid-beta, and neuropathology constituted the major research themes. Additionally, the correlation test yielded a statistically significant positive coefficient (r=0.682) between keyword occurrence frequency and their temporal emergence, reflecting increased research interest in nascent topics, especially tau protein, over recent years.
Conclusion: Research on tau protein in Alzheimer’s disease has expanded substantially over recent decades, evolving from descriptive investigations toward studies focused on molecular mechanisms, biomarkers, and targeted therapeutic strategies. The prominence of topics such as tau phosphorylation, neurofibrillary tangles, and tauopathies underscores their pivotal role in shaping the future of Alzheimer’s research.
Type of Study: Orginal |
Subject:
Scientometrics
Received: 2026/06/21 | Revised: 2026/08/25 | Accepted: 2026/05/22 | ePublished: 2026/05/22
Received: 2026/06/21 | Revised: 2026/08/25 | Accepted: 2026/05/22 | ePublished: 2026/05/22
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