Neurolinguistics: A scientometric review

Abstract

This scientometric study aimed to map the knowledge domains of neurolinguistics, an interdisciplinary field of linguistics, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the development process and structural relationships of scientific knowledge in neuroscience. A total of 5,104 neurolinguistics documents published between 1913 and 2022 were analysed and visualized from three databases, Scopus, WOS, and Lens, using CiteSpace 5.8.R3 and VOSviewer 1.6.18. Knowledge production was mapped by country, university, journal, publisher, research field, and author, and examined using scientometric indicators, including co-citation networks, citation networks, sigma metrics, and clusters of topics. The identified clusters include discourse processing of flexible word order language language-ready brain, and language talent in cultural neurolinguistics; object knowledge of agrammatic aphasia; early experience of cerebral localization; language in autism spectrum disorder; and language evolution in relation to cognitive adequacy in language-ready brain. This study provides valuable insights into the field of neurolinguistics and offers a visual representation of the development process of scientific knowledge in neuroscience.

Keywords:

• neurolinguistics
• right hemisphere role
• left hemisphere role
• language disorders
• speech disorder
• acquired aphasia
• developmental dysphasia
• scientometric review

Highlights

• A total of 5,104 documents related to neurolinguistics were analyzed in this study.

• The development of neurolinguistics was assessed using a combination of eight bibliometric and eight scientometric indicators.

• Visual maps and tables were used to represent the knowledge domains and growth of neurolinguistics.

• The study examined topics and themes in neurolinguistics through the use of cluster analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data used in this is incorporated in the paper and there is no additional data to be shared.

Contribution statement ‎

Conceptualization, Ahmed Alduais, Abdullah Alduais, Meysam Amidfar, and Shabnam Alizadeh Incheh; Data curation, Ahmed Alduais; Formal analysis, Ahmed Alduais; Funding acquisition, Ahmed Alduais; Investigation, Ahmed Alduais; Methodology, Ahmed Alduais; Project administration, Ahmed Alduais; Resources, Abdullah Alduais Meysam Amidfar, and Shabnam Alizadeh Incheh; Software, Ahmed Alduais; Supervision, Ahmed Alduais; Validation, Ahmed Alduais; Visualization, Ahmed Alduais; Writing—original draft, Ahmed Alduais, Abdullah Alduais Meysam Amidfar, and Shabnam Alizadeh Incheh; Writing—review & editing, Ahmed Alduais, Abdullah Alduais, Meysam Amidfar, and Shabnam Alizadeh Incheh.

Institutional review board statement

This research did not require IRB approval.

Informed consent statemen

Neither human nor non-human subjects were involved directly in this research. Therefore, informed consent was not required.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Ahmed Alduais

Dr. Ahmed Alduais, an esteemed assistant professor of child psychology and clinical linguistics at the University of Verona in Italy.

Abdullah Alduais

Mr. Abdullah Alduais, a highly experienced English Language instructor, serves as an esteemed faculty member at the renowned King AbdulAziz University in Saudi Arabia.

Meysam Amidfar

Dr. Meysam Amidfar is a renowned neuroscientist and respected faculty member at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran.

Shabnam Alizadeh Incheh

Ms. Shabnam Alizadeh Incheh, an accomplished graduate of Applied Linguistics from the Tehran North Branch Azad University, has established herself as a proficient teacher and researcher in diverse fields, including neurolinguistics. Their collective expertise has culminated in this paper.