Journal of Neurosurgery
📊 Impact and Prestige
- Impact Factor 2022: 4.1 (Clarivate)
- Estimated 2023 IF: ~3.5 (as per journal site)
- SJR (Scimago Journal Rank): 1.354 (2024, Q1 in Neurology & Surgery)
- Google Scholar Metrics: h5-index: 58 | h5-median: 80
🧾 Analysis: JNS stands as a top-tier journal in neurosurgery—highly cited and ranked across all key metrics.
🏛 Editorial Process and Peer Review
- Founded in 1944.
- Editor-in-Chief: James Rutka (since 2013).
- Peer review model: Single-blind (reviewers know authors, but authors don’t know reviewers).
🧾 Analysis: Traditional and conservative. Reliable but lacks the anonymity of double-blind systems.
🌍 Scope and Content
- Publishes original research, technical notes, case reports, and letters to the editor.
- Delayed open access (articles become freely available after 12 months).
- Includes sister journals: JNS: Spine, JNS: Pediatrics, Neurosurgical Focus.
🧾 Analysis: Broad and multidisciplinary scope. Delayed access can hinder early visibility and dissemination.
⏱ Publication Timeline
- Estimated submission-to-publication time: ~207 days (based on comparable journals).
🧾 Analysis: Thorough peer review and high standards come at the cost of speed. Authors must plan well ahead.
📚 Rise in Review Articles
- Growing proportion of “review” papers: ~3–4% of published articles.
- Trend aligns with academic demand for topic overviews.
🧾 Analysis: Valuable for education and synthesis, but contributes little in terms of new data.
✅ Strengths vs ⚠ Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| High academic reputation | Long turnaround time |
| Strong editorial leadership | Single-blind process lacks anonymity |
| Comprehensive neurosurgical coverage | Delayed open access |
| High citation impact | Review articles often lack novel contributions |
🧠 Verdict
The *Journal of Neurosurgery* remains a prestigious and reliable platform for high-quality neurosurgical research. It offers academic depth, historical weight, and strong citation metrics. However, its slow publication speed and delayed access policy may limit timely impact, particularly for early-career authors or time-sensitive work.
At the 12th Annual Meeting of the Harvey Cushing Society, held in New York City in 1943, the Journal of Neurosurgery was formed.
The first issue of the first volume was published several months thereafter in January 1944 (but mailed in March), three months after John F. Fulton letter of September 27, 1943, to Charles C. Thomas, requesting that he publish the JNS. The editorial board chair, Gilbert Horrax, introduced the JNS and its purpose to its readers with Louise Eisenhardt as its managing editor (1944–1965).
The Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group (JNSPG) is the scholarly journals publication arm of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
Since 1944, the Journal of Neurosurgery has been recognized worldwide for its authoritative articles on clinical and laboratory research, and innovative surgical techniques and instruments, as well as its rigorous focus on the highest-quality presentation of scientific and medical advances.
The Journal of Neurosurgery is the most highly cited journal in neurosurgery, according to Thomson Reuters' Journal Citation Reports® (JCR).
Journal of neurosurgery Case lessons
Journal of neurosurgery Case lessons.
Journal of Neurosurgery Pediatrics
In 1999, began the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine as a quarterly supplement to the Journal, becoming a bi-monthly publication in 2002.
In 2004 the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics as a quarterly supplement. Both JNS: Spine and JNS: Pediatrics began monthly publication in 2005.
Neurosurgical Focus covers a different topic in depth each month, and has been free to the public since 1996. Enhanced by color images and video clips, each peer-reviewed issue constitutes a state-of-the-art “textbook chapter” in the field of neurosurgery. Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits are offered as well. Examples of the myriad topics addressed to date include treatment of spasticity, the neurosurgeon in sports medicine, neuroendoscopy, and the history of brain tumor surgery.