Researchers analyzed the evolution of studies on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia from 1966 to 2022 using scientometric methods. The study retrieved 27,568 references and observed a significant increase in scientific interest, particularly from 1990 to 2010. Two major research trends were identified: conceptualization and treatment of negative symptoms. Recent trends include evidence synthesis, computational psychiatry, and nonpharmacological treatments like brain stimulation. This scientometric analysis helps summarize changes in the field, identify key papers and emerging topics, and can be valuable for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and generating new research hypotheses. It also aids in selecting keywords and potential collaborators for future research endeavors.

Reference: Sabe M, Chen C, Perez N, et al. Thirty years of research on negative symptoms of schizophrenia: A scientometric analysis of hotspots, bursts, and research trends. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2023 Jan;144:104979. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104979. Epub 2022 Dec 1. PMID: 36463972.