Objective: We aimed to identify and analyze the characteristics of the 100 most highly-cited papers in the research field of deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Methods: The Web of Science was searched for highly-cited papers related to DBS research. The number of citations, countries, institutions of origin, year of publication, and research area were noted and analyzed.
Results: The 100 most highly-cited articles had a mean of 304.15 citations. These accrued an average of 25.39 citations a year. The most represented target by far was the subthalamic nucleus (STN). These articles were published in 46 high-impact journals, with Brain (n = 10) topping the list. These articles came from 11 countries, with the USA contributing the most highly-cited articles (n = 29); however, it was the University of Toronto (n = 13) in Canada that was the institution with the most highly-cited studies.
Conclusions: This study identified the 100 most highly-cited studies and highlighted a historical perspective on the progress in the field of DBS. These findings allow for the recognition of the most influential reports and provide useful information that can indicate areas requiring further investigation.
Keywords: Bibliometrics; Parkinson's disease; analysis; brain stimulation; citation; deep; stimulation targets.