ArticleMedicine2026
Research hotspots and emerging trends of pain neuroscience education in chronic pain management: A bibliometric visualization study.
Article in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveChronic pain is a major global public health concern. Pain neuroscience education (PNE), a cognitive intervention grounded in the biopsychosocial model, has been increasingly applied to chronic pain management. However, its knowledge structure and research evolution have not been systematically delineated. This bibliometric study aimed to map the research landscape, identify hot topics and emerging trends, and provide evidence for clinical translation and research planning.
methodsPublications on PNE in chronic pain were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (2015-2026). A total of 409 articles were analyzed using Microsoft Excel, CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and SCImago Graphica to examine publication outputs, collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence, clustering, burst detection, and citation patterns.
resultsAnnual publications increased rapidly from 2018 to 2024, peaking in 2024. The United States, Spain, and Belgium were the most productive countries, with strong collaboration between North America and Europe, while Asian and low-and middle-income countries remained peripheral. Jo Nijs team was a central research force. Keyword analysis revealed 3 hotspots: predominant focus on chronic musculoskeletal pain; a shift from single PNE to multimodal regimens combining exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy; methodological validation of assessment tools serving as a critical hub linking research branches. Burst analysis indicated a transition from empirical accumulation to evidence synthesis with personalized interventions for older adults and adolescents as future frontiers.
conclusionPNE research is advancing rapidly, shifting from efficacy validation toward implementation science and precision interventions. Current research shows a geographic imbalance; future efforts should enhance cross-regional knowledge translation. This study provides a clear knowledge map for researchers and evidence-based directions for optimizing pain management systems.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.