Top 10 Parkinson's Disease journals

Article Contents

1. Introduction
2. An overview of important Journal Metrics
3. A list of the top ranked journals for this therapeutic area
4. Ways to stay up to date with the latest research developments

Introduction

April is Parkinson's Disease Awareness, underlining the critical need for deeper insight into the world's fastest-growing neurological disorder. This month encourages us to not only empathise with those affected by Parkinson's but to also recognise the transformative potential of ongoing research in enhancing patient care and outcomes.

Parkinson’s disease marks its presence through a progressive decline in motor functions, manifesting in a spectrum of symptoms that vary from person to person. Common indicators include tremors, slowed movements, muscle stiffness, and challenges with balance and coordination. Additionally, patients might experience changes in speech and handwriting, signalling the disease's impact on fine motor skills.

The root cause of these symptoms is the degeneration of neurons in the brain, particularly those responsible for producing dopamine. A deficiency in dopamine disrupts brain activity, leading to the hallmark movement issues associated with Parkinson's.

Despite the availability of treatments that alleviate some symptoms, the cure for Parkinson's remains elusive. Furthermore, the factors contributing to its onset are largely unknown, leaving preventive strategies unclear. This underscores the urgency of advancing our understanding and developing more effective interventions for Parkinson's disease.

Here you will find the top 10 Parkinson’s journals ranked by the 2-year Journal Impact Factor (2-JIF) – a measure of the frequency with which the articles within the journal are cited in a particular 2-year period.

We have also included these other factors for each journal in our assessment to round off the picture.

Journal Metrics

Impact factor

The Journal Impact Factor (JIF) is based on Web of Science data and only includes documents such as articles and reviews. The JIF helps to understand the importance of how often articles are cited by addressing the bias that arises from comparing citation numbers. This bias tends to advantage bigger journals over smaller ones, those published more often over those with fewer issues, and older journals over newer ones. This is because larger or older journals usually have more articles to be cited. By considering the impact factor, we can more fairly compare journals by taking into account these differences in size, publication frequency, and age. A JIF of 3 or more is considered good and 1 is average.

CiteScore

CiteScore is based on Scopus data for all indexed documents, including articles, letters and editorials, as well as articles and reviews. The CiteScore for a particular year is calculated by dividing the number of citations to all indexed documents within the journal from that year and the three preceding years by the total number of documents published in the journal within that same period.

• Impact factor and CiteScore have the most meaning when used to compare journals within the same therapeutic area. Many academics value a journal’s Impact Factor over its CiteScore; therefore, they will use the impact factor to rank other journals in the same field.

SCImago Journal Rank (SJR)

The SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) indicator evaluates the prestige of academic journals by considering not only the number of citations a journal receives but also the prestige of the journals that issue these citations. An SJR >1.0 is above average. This measurement can be helpful to rank journals within the same field and category.

Source Normalised Impact per Paper (SNIP)

Source Normalised Impact per Paper (SNIP) weights citations based on the total number of citations in a subject field to provide a contextual, subject-specific metric. A SNIP over 1.0 means a journal has more citations than average.

Other Journal considerations

In addition to SJR ranking and journal impact factor, a good quality journal generally has the following characteristics:

1. It is indexed on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science or another reputable journal index.
2. It has an up-to-date website, a clear scope, extensive information for authors and readers, and a publicly visible editorial board consisting of appropriately qualified board members affiliated with accredited universities and research institutions.
3. Each article is assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI).

Top 10 Parkinson's Journals

Selecting the right journal for your research is a critical step that can make or break the impact of your work. This is where a medcomms agency like Rx Communications can become an essential ally. With a deep understanding of the scientific publishing world and high levels of therapeutic area expertise, a medcomms agency worth its salt should be able to provide support at any stage of the publishing process. This includes assisting in finding journals that match your research area and larger aims, and shaping your manuscript so it reflects the ethos and audience of your chosen journal, as well as guiding you through the entire submission process including managing revisions, and planning for post-publication promotion and dealing with rejection.

Rx can increase your chances of not just getting published, but also ensuring your research makes the waves it deserves.

The Lancet Neurology

The Lancet Neurology is a leading journal for groundbreaking research that advocates change in neurological clinical practices. It covers a broad spectrum of topics such as Parkinson’s, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and other dementias. The journal features diverse content types including clinical trial articles, reviews, rapid responses, commentary, letters, and opinion pieces.

• Impact Factor: 48
• CiteScore: 62.4
• SJR: 9.819
• SNIP: 13.538
• H-Index: 336

JAMA Neurology

JAMA Neurology provides cutting-edge research and insights into the brain and nervous system, addressing Parkinson’s, dementia, and other neurological conditions.

• Impact Factor: 29
• CiteScore: 40.7
• SJR: 6.697
• SNIP: 5.982
• H-Index: 257

Brain

Brain, from Oxford Academic, publishes studies, reviews, and editorials across neurological science, enhancing understanding of the brain and nervous system.

• Impact Factor: 14.5
• CiteScore: 20.7
• SJR: 4.437
• SNIP: 3.147
• H-Index: 365

Annals of Neurology

Annals of Neurology focuses on the origins, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of neurologic diseases with an emphasis on translational relevance.

• Impact Factor: 11.2
• CiteScore: 18.4
• SJR: 3.977
• SNIP: 2.769
• H-Index: 321

npj Parkinson's Disease

Nature publishes npj Parkinson’s Disease in partnership with the Parkinson’s Foundation, providing open-access articles on Parkinson’s disease.

• Impact Factor: 8.7
• CiteScore: 8.0
• SJR: 2.138
• SNIP: 1.696
• H-Index: 40

Movement Disorders

Movement Disorders, the official journal of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society, covers various aspects of movement disorders.

• Impact Factor: 8.6
• CiteScore: 13.7
• SJR: 2.602
• SNIP: 1.981
• H-Index: 219

Journal of Parkinson's Disease

The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease publishes research in basic science, translational research, and clinical medicine, with options for open access.

• Impact Factor: 5.2
• CiteScore: 6.9
• SJR: 1.325
• SNIP: 1.258
• H-Index: 60

Parkinsonism and Related Disorders

Parkinsonism & Related Disorders contributes to understanding, diagnosing, and treating neurodegenerative syndromes.

• Impact Factor: 4.1
• CiteScore: 7.4
• SJR: 1.05
• SNIP: 1.19
• H-Index: 113

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease by Hindawi covers all aspects of the disease, serving as a vital resource for neurology professionals.

• Impact Factor: 3.2
• CiteScore: 5.2
• SJR: 0.584
• SNIP: 0.821
• H-Index: 54

Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology

Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology addresses age-related neurological and psychosocial issues, blending research with clinical insights.

• Impact Factor: 2.6
• CiteScore: 4.9
• SJR: 0.808
• SNIP: 1.126
• H-Index: 75

Publish or Perish - as true now as it ever was

In the high-stakes world of pharma and biotech, "Publish or Perish" isn't just a catchy phrase—it’s the stark reality. For pharma companies and researchers, it's not enough to develop breakthroughs; the real challenge lies in getting those findings recognised in top journals. In this game, it's not just about playing your cards right; it's about having a seasoned player on your team. With Rx Communications in your corner, you’ll be giving yourself the best chance to make an impact with your research. Explore our Publications Support Services here.

How to Stay Up-to-Date with Parkinson's Research Developments

For pharma professionals and researchers working in the field of Parkinson’s, it is vital to stay abreast of the latest research advancements. To stay on top you might:

• Consider subscribing to our newsletter and receive updates to our top journal lists as well as other relevant industry and therapeutic developments as they happen.
• Register for an account with your selected journal to get direct access to new research as it's published.
• Customise an RSS feed for your selected journals to also further streamline the process, delivering the latest papers and articles directly to your digital doorstep.
• Setting up a Google alert with Parkinson’s research keywords to capture relevant news and studies from across the web.
• Lastly, don't underestimate the power of social media; by following the publishers and journals in the field, you'll tap into a community of shared knowledge and discourse.

Article originally written by Erin Harrison and first published in 2022, updated by Beth Howe and the Rx Team for 2024!