Magnetic resonance imaging in mood disorders: a bibliometric analysis from 1999 to 2020

Objective Globally, mood disorders are highly prevalent, and are associated with increased morbidity and mortalities. Magnetic resonance imaging is widely used in the study of mood disorders. However, bibliometric analyses of the state of this field are lacking. Methods A literature search in the web of science core collection (WoSCC) for the period between 1945 and 2020 returned 3073 results. Data extracted from these publications include, publication year, journal names, countries of origin, institutions, author names and research areas. The bibliometric method, CiteSpace V and key words analysis were used to visualize the collaboration network and identify research trends, respectively. Results Since it was first reported in 1999, the use of magnetic resonance imaging in studies on mood disorders has been increasing. Biological psychiatry is the core journal that has extensively published on this topic, while the UNIV PITTSBURGH, USA, has the highest published papers on this topic. Keyword analysis indicated that studies on depression, bipolar disorders, and schizophrenia, with a focus on specific brain regions, including amygdala, prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex are key research topics. Conclusion Brain structure and network, sex differences, and treatment-associated brain changes are key topics of future research.