Bibliometric Analysis of the Relationship Between Neurotransmitters, Nutrition, and Metabolism from a Sustainable Brain Health Perspective

Abstract

Objective: Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that play a crucial role in regulating cognitive functions, mood, and behavior. Nutrition and metabolic processes, in turn, influence neurotransmitter synthesis and function, contributing to the maintenance of brain health. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between neurotransmitters, nutrition, and metabolism from a sustainability perspective using bibliometric analysis.

Material and Method: The Web of Science database was used in the research. 46 studies published between 1981 and 2025 were analyzed using the keywords “neurotransmitters”, “nutrition”, “metabolism”, “sustainability”, “diet”, “food intake”, and “brain health”. Data were evaluated using VOSviewer software within the scope of co-authorship, citation, co-citation, keyword, and country analyses.

Results: It was determined that most studies were concentrated in the fields of neuroscience, clinical nutrition, metabolism, and psychiatry. It was observed that experimental and review studies predominated in the literature, and a significant portion of experimental research was conducted on animal models. Furthermore, it was found that sustainability and gastronomy themes were represented to a limited extent.

Conclusion: The findings show that studies on the relationship between neurotransmitters, nutrition, and metabolism are predominantly biochemical and health-based. It is considered that interdisciplinary research addressing the relationship between sustainable nutrition and brain health should be increased.