Top 100 most-cited articles on tau protein: a bibliometric analysis and evidence mapping.

Background: Tau, a microtubule-associated protein extensively distributed within the central nervous system (CNS), exhibits close associations with various neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we aimed to conduct a qualitative and quantitative bibliometric study of the top 100 most-cited publications on tau protein and reveal the current research hotspots and future perspectives.

Methods: The relevant literature was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace (v6.2.R4) and VOSviewer (1.6.19) were adopted for bibliometric analysis with statistical and visual analysis.

Results: Citations per article ranged from 615 to 3,123, with a median number of 765.5 times. "Neuroscience" emerged as the most extensively researched subject in this field. The USA has emerged as the leading country, with a publication record ( = 65), total citations ( = 66,543), strong centrality (0.29), and extensive international collaborations. Harvard University ( = 11) and the University of California, San Francisco ( = 11) were the top two institutions in terms of publications. dominated with 13 articles in the 37 high-quality journals. M. Goedert from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology was the most productive ( = 9) and top co-cited ( = 179) author. The most frequently studied keywords were Alzheimer's disease ( = 38). Future research is anticipated to intensify its focus on the pathogenesis of various tau-related diseases, emphasizing the phosphorylation and structural alterations of tau protein, particularly in Alzheimer's disease.

Conclusion: The pathogenesis of various tau-related diseases, including the phosphorylation and structural alterations of the tau protein, will be the primary focus of future research, with particular emphasis on Alzheimer's disease as a central area of investigation.