Local Field Potentials in Deep Brain Stimulation: Investigation of the Most Cited Articles

OBJECTIVE: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) allows for direct electrical stimulation of neural circuitry and recording of local field potentials (LFPs). A bibliometric analysis can be implemented to identify studies that have shaped a research field and influenced future study; however, no such analysis investigating the implementation of LFPs in DBS has been performed. The objective of the present study was to identify the most highly cited articles pertaining to DBS LFPs to identify and evaluate the research that has contributed the most to this growing field. METHODS: The Science Citation Index of the Web of Science was implemented to identify the top 84 most cited articles pertaining to DBS LFPs. Information regarding the publication, including author information and study aims, was extracted. RESULTS: The most highly cited articles had had a mean of 109 citations and had been published between 2002 and 2019, with a mode in 2016. The articles had predominantly investigated the subthalamic nucleus (68% of clinical studies) in humans (83.8% of clinical studies). The studies of humans had recruited a mean of 12.5 subjects. Most of the identified articles (56.0%) had reported class III clinical evidence. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of DBS LFPs is a novel field that is rapidly growing. However, a need exists for more studies with larger patient cohorts and more randomized controlled trials to further elucidate the benefits of this technology. These results will allow for the identification and recognition of the most influential studies pertaining to DBS LFPs, appreciation of the current and future research trends, and inform us regarding areas warranting further investigation.