Acta Neuropathologica is a leading international journal publishing research in the field of neuropathology. Neuropathology is the specialized study of diseases affecting the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. The journal serves as a bridge between laboratory-based basic science and clinical application, focusing on the underlying causes and mechanisms of neurological disorders. This work informs future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Origins and Institutional Affiliation
The journal was established in 1961. Its founding marked a formal commitment to the systematic study of nervous system diseases through pathological examination. This long history has established it as one of the most respected publications globally.
Acta Neuropathologica is published by Springer Science+Business Media, a major international academic publisher based in Germany. The backing of this large, established publisher ensures wide international distribution and the maintenance of rigorous peer-review standards. This institutional support manages the complex logistics of an international journal, including submissions and ensuring the integrity of the published record.
The journal operates with a strong European heritage, although its scope and authorship are entirely international. The publisher’s role involves the physical and digital dissemination of the journal. They also ensure its visibility and indexing in major scientific databases, which is fundamental to its academic utility.
Core Research Focuses
The journal prioritizes manuscripts detailing disease mechanisms, comparative studies, and molecular pathology of nervous tissue. A major focus is on the molecular and cellular pathology of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Research in this area often examines the misfolding and aggregation of specific proteins, like amyloid-beta and tau, and their toxic effects on neuronal function.
Protein misfolding disorders, including prion diseases, are a significant category of research, exploring how abnormal protein structures spread and damage the central nervous system. The journal frequently features studies that utilize advanced techniques like immunohistochemistry and molecular genetics. This focus includes both studies using human post-mortem tissue and those involving in vivo and in vitro models to replicate disease states.
Neuro-oncology is another area of focus, encompassing the pathology of nervous system tumors. This includes research on the genetic mutations, cellular origins, and classification of brain and spinal cord neoplasms. The journal also covers vascular diseases of the central nervous system, such as strokes, and infectious diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. Papers are generally interdisciplinary, examining abnormalities in structure, genetics, function, and the pathogenesis of neurological disorders.
Evaluating Scientific Influence
The influence of academic journals is often assessed using quantitative metrics, with the Impact Factor (IF) being the most commonly recognized measure. A high IF indicates that the research published within the journal is frequently referenced by other scientists, suggesting significant influence within the field.
Acta Neuropathologica consistently ranks highly, with a recent Impact Factor reported to be around 9.3. This figure places the journal among the top publications in its discipline, reflecting the quality and relevance of its content to the wider scientific community. It is ranked in the first quartile (Q1) across several categories, including Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, Neurology (clinical), and Pathology.
The Q1 ranking signifies that the journal is in the top 25% of publications in its subject area. This selectivity is demonstrated by its rigorous editorial process; the journal receives a large number of submissions but maintains a low acceptance rate (around 18%). The high rate of immediate rejection, approximately 31% of submissions, underscores the demanding standards for originality and scientific excellence that must be met for publication.
Accessing Published Content
Access to Acta Neuropathologica articles is primarily facilitated through a subscription model. Institutions like universities, hospitals, and research centers typically purchase subscriptions that grant their affiliated researchers and students full access to the journal’s content. Individuals who are not affiliated with subscribing institutions can usually purchase access to individual articles or subscribe personally.
The journal also operates under a hybrid open access model, providing authors with options for wider dissemination. While the journal is subscription-based, authors can choose to pay an Article Processing Charge (APC) to make their specific article freely available to the public online. This open access option ensures that research findings are universally accessible, increasing their visibility and potential citation count.
For locating specific research, the journal is indexed in several major bibliographic databases. Readers can search for articles using platforms such as PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science. These indexing services allow readers to easily find and retrieve abstracts and full-text articles, connecting the journal’s content with the broader landscape of biomedical literature.