Research Hotspots and Frontiers of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Stroke: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Background: Over the past decade, many studies in the field of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in stroke have been published in scholarly journals. However, a scientometric analysis focusing on tDCS after stroke is still missing. The purpose of this study is to deliver a bibliometric analysis to investigate the global hotspots and frontiers in the domain of tDCS in stroke from 2012 to 2021. Methods: Articles and reviews related to tDCS in stroke were retrieved and obtained from the Web of Science core collection database from 2012 to 2021. Data visualization and analysis were conducted by using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Microsoft Excel 2019. Results: Finally, 371 publications were included in the scientometric analysis, including 288 articles and 83 reviews. The results showed that the number of publications per year increased from 15 to 68 in the last 10 years. Neurosciences was the main research hotspot category (n = 201). Frontiers in Human Neuroscience was the most published journal with 14 papers. The most productive author, institution, and country were Fregni F (n = 13), the League of European Research Universities (n = 37), and the United States of America (n = 98), respectively. A burstness analysis of keywords and the literature indicated that current studies in the field of tDCS in stroke focused on poststroke aphasia, tDCS combined with robotic therapy, and anatomical parameters. Conclusion: The research of tDCS in stroke is predicted to remain a research hotspot in the future. We recommend investigating the curative effect of other different tDCS closed-loop rehabilitation methods for different stroke dysfunctions. In conclusion, this bibliometric study presented the hotspots and trends of tDCS in stroke over the last decade, which may help researchers manage their further studies.

Dual‐tDCS combined with sensorimotor training promotes upper limb function in subacute stroke patients: A randomized, double‐blinded, sham‐controlled study

“…18,19 Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuroregulatory technique that uses constant low-intensity direct current (1-2 mA) to modulate neuronal activity in the cerebral cortex. 20,21 The excitability of the affected side decreased and the compensatory excitability of the unaffected side increased after unilateral stroke. 22 Studies have shown that the anode tDCS can depolarize the neuronal potential of the brain to enhance cortical excitability, while the cathode can hyperpolarize the neuronal potential to reduce cortical excitability.…”

“…Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non‐invasive neuroregulatory technique that uses constant low‐intensity direct current (1–2 mA) to modulate neuronal activity in the cerebral cortex 20,21 . The excitability of the affected side decreased and the compensatory excitability of the unaffected side increased after unilateral stroke 22 .…”

Global trends and research hotspots of stroke and magnetic resonance imaging: A bibliometric analysis

“…Bibliometrics, first proposed by Pritchard in 1969, refers to the quantitative analysis of the target literature in order to uncover potential key information, generalize patterns of knowledge, and outline trends in the vast amount of literature data. [ 18 ] Bibliometric analysis has provided clear insights into many areas of medicine, [ 19 ] such as stroke treatment [ 20 , 21 ] and cancer rehabilitation. [ 22 , 23 ] By reading such studies, researchers are able to identify important journals, scholars, national institutions, and collaborations, [ 24 ] and keep abreast of research hotspots and trends in some fields.…”