Neurology

Publisher: American Academy of Neurology (AAN) ISSN: 0028-3878 (Print), 1526-632X (Online) Impact Factor (2024): ~11.5 Publication Frequency: Weekly Indexing: MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase Website: https://n.neurology.org/

Neurology covers a wide range of topics in clinical neurology, including:

Stroke and cerebrovascular disease

Neurodegeneration (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s)

Epilepsy

Multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology

Neuromuscular disorders

Neurocritical care

Neurogenetics and imaging

It publishes:

Original research articles

Clinical trials

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Clinical guidelines (AAN-sponsored)

Brief reports, case studies, editorials, and perspectives

✅ Scientific Authority: As the journal of the AAN, Neurology has a reputation for clinical rigor and influence in shaping practice guidelines.

✅ Editorial Standards: High peer-review standards with rigorous methodological assessment. Most papers, especially clinical trials and cohort studies, include robust statistical analysis, power calculations, and are often preregistered.

✅ Open Science Policies: Transparent data policies; many articles provide supplementary materials or data sharing statements.

✅ Translational Relevance: Frequently bridges the gap between bench research and bedside application.

✅ Special Series and Topic Issues: Themed editions on high-impact topics (e.g., post-COVID neurology, brain health disparities, digital biomarkers).

⚠️ Conservative Bias: Tends to favor large-cohort, conventional methodologies over exploratory or paradigm-shifting studies.

⚠️ Underrepresentation of Global South: Despite some international contributions, the journal is still heavily dominated by North American and European institutions.

⚠️ Article Access Model: While some articles are open access, many require subscription, limiting accessibility in low-resource settings unless paid.

⚠️ Editorial Overlap with AAN Agendas: Occasional alignment with AAN policy initiatives may introduce institutional bias or hinder dissident clinical perspectives.

Neurology remains one of the top-tier, high-impact journals in the neurosciences, with particular strength in clinical neurology and guidelines. While methodologically robust and widely respected, its conservative editorial stance and partial access model limit disruptive innovation and broad accessibility.