Global Shifts and Emerging Themes in Parkinson’s Disease Rehabilitation: A Comprehensive 30-Year Bibliometric Analysis

The aim of this bibliometric study was to analyze the global research landscape in Parkinson's disease (PD) rehabilitation from 1995 to 2024. The present study employed a bibliometric analysis, leveraging the Web of Science (WoS) database, to identify publications on "Parkinson's Disease rehabilitation" from January 1995 to January 2024. The top 100 (T100) highest-cited articles were identified through a meticulous examination of citation frequency. Extracted data included publication year, journal name, citation count, authorship, study type, and regional contributions. Trends in publication frequency were analyzed using linear and quadratic regression models, while Spearman's rank correlation assessed relationships between total and annual citations. The Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation contributed the most articles (n=13). Highly cited studies focused on exercise interventions, virtual reality, and community-based rehabilitation, with the top article receiving 244 citations. The United States was the leading contributor, while Nieuwboer A. and Rochester L. were the most prolific authors. Publication frequency showed non-linear growth, peaking around 2015 and slightly declining thereafter. A moderate positive correlation (𝑟 = 0.59) between total citations and annual citations reflected the sustained impact of influential works. This analysis highlights key contributors, research trends, and global collaboration in PD rehabilitation. Future studies should focus on cost-effective, scalable interventions and longitudinal evaluations of emerging therapies to improve patient outcomes.