Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

📊 Overview

* 'Publisher': Frontiers Media SA * 'Launch': 2009 * 'Indexing': PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (SCI-E) * 'Impact Factor (2025)': ≈ 4.5 * 'CiteScore': ≈ 8.6 * 'Field': Aging, neurodegeneration, cognitive decline, dementia

✅ Strengths

High visibility and citation metrics
- Q1 journal in aging neuroscience.
- >180,000 citations since launch.
- 4th most cited journal in Geriatrics & Gerontology (open access).

Interactive peer review
Dialogue-based system among reviewers, editors, and authors.
Median time to first decision: 6–8 weeks.

Open access & global reach
All content immediately available.
Strong discoverability and dissemination in non-subscribed institutions.

⚠️ Weaknesses and Criticisms

Publisher reputation (Frontiers Media)
- Previously listed in Jeffrey Beall’s list of potentially predatory publishers.
- Criticized for pressuring editors to accept more papers and for monetizing the APC (article processing charge) model.

Peer review concerns
- Reports of inconsistent quality and potential editorial bias toward acceptance.
- Editorial independence questioned in past controversies (e.g., removal of rigorous editors).

Ethical oversight
- Past retractions in sister journals (e.g., *Frontiers in Psychology*) due to editorial interference and ethical disputes.

🧭 Who Should Consider It?

You are…	Verdict
A researcher seeking fast, visible publication	`'Recommended`'
Focused on top-tier selectivity and academic prestige	`'Use with caution`'
A clinician referencing systematic reviews	`'Check methodology critically`'

📌 Summary Judgment

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience is a widely cited, open-access journal with rapid review and good thematic focus on aging-related neuroscience. However, concerns about publisher practices, peer review rigor, and editorial independence warrant a critical eye when publishing or citing.

🔎 Tips Before Submitting or Citing

Analyze reviewer comments if available.
Assess author background and affiliations.
Prioritize well-structured, methodologically robust articles.
Consider alternative journals for high-prestige submissions (e.g., Aging Cell, Neurobiology of Aging).