Microbiota-gut-brain axis and anxiety or depression: A perspective from bibliometric and visual analysis

Abstract

Background: Anxiety and depression are mental disorders that are prevalent worldwide. Previous studies have shown that it is related to the gut microbiota. The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGB axis) is a bidirectional signaling pathway that links the gut and central nervous systems. It plays a pivotal role in the development of psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders, with interactions occurring via the neural, metabolic, immune, and endocrine pathways. This study aimed to reveal the research trends in the MGB axis and anxiety or depression.

Methods: Documents were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection with search terms for the microbiota-brain-gut axis and anxiety or depression. CiteSpace and VOSviewer are bibliometric tools used for co-citation analysis, co-occurrence analysis, collaborative network analysis, and keyword citation burst discovery.

Results: A total of 1816 published articles were identified, indicating a yearly upward trend. China emerged as the leading contributor, accounting for 497 publications (27.37%). Notably, Nutrients published the most articles, amounting to 77 (4.24%). Regarding authors and institutions, Cryan JF emerged as the frontrunner with remarkable 115 publications, while University College Cork topped the list with 138 articles (7.60%). Keyword analysis highlighted probiotics and inflammation as prominent areas of research, while also revealing the involvement of esteemed scholars in studying the MGB axis and anxiety or depression.

Conclusion: These findings provide valuable insights into the current study and a future orientation in the field of the MGB axis and anxiety or depression. This information can assist researchers in selecting appropriate journals or collaborators and furthering their studies on the potential mechanisms of anxiety or depression, including their etiology, therapy, prevention, and prognosis.

Keywords: anxiety; bibliometrics; depression; microbiota–gut–brain axis; visual analysis.