Divergent characteristics of biomedical research across publication types: A quantitative analysis on the aging-related research

Abstract This paper investigates differences in characteristics across publication types for aging-related genetic research. We utilized bibliometric data for five model species retrieved from authoritative databases including PubMed. Publications are classified into types according to PubMed. Results indicate substantial divergence across publication types in attention paid to aging-related research, scopes of studied genes, and topical preferences. For instance, comparative studies and meta-analyses show a greater focus on aging than validation studies. Reviews concentrate more on cell biology, while clinical studies emphasize translational topics. Publication types also manifest variations in highly studied genes, like APOE for reviews versus GH1 for clinical studies. Despite differences, top genes like that for insulin are universally emphasized. Publication types demonstrate similar levels of imbalance in research efforts on genes. Differences also exist in bibliometric measures, such as authorship numbers and citation counts. Publication types show distinct preferences for journals of certain topical specialties and scope of readership. Overall, our findings showcase the characteristics of publication types in studying aging-related genetics, owing to their unique nature and objectives. This study is the first endeavor to systematically depict the inherent structure of a biomedical research field from the perspective of publication types and provides insights into knowledge production and evaluation patterns across biomedical communities.