Scientific attitudes towards bipolar disorders

Introduction: Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric condition that is also called manic-depressive disease. It causes unusual changes in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry outday-to-day tasks. In the present study, 3 sets of data were considered and analyzed: first, allpapers categorized under Bipolar Disorders in Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E)database through 2001-2011; second, papers published by the international journal of BipolarDisorders indexed in SCI-E during a period of 11 years; and third, all papers distributed by theinternational journal of Bipolar Disorders indexed in MEDLINE during the period of study. Methods: The SCI-E database was used to extract all papers indexed with the topic of BipolarDisorders as well as all papers published by The International Journal of Bipolar Disorders. Extraction of data from MEDLINE was restricted to the journals name from setting menu. TheScience of Science Tool was used to map the co-authorship network of papers published byThe International Journal of Bipolar Disorders through 2009-2011. Results: Analysis of data showed that the majority of publications in the subject area of bipolardisorders indexed in SCI-E were published by The International Journal of Bipolar Disorders. Although journal articles consisted of 59% of the total publication type in SCI-E, 65% ofpublications distributed by The Journal of Bipolar Disorders were in the form of meetingabstracts.Journalarticlesconsistedofonly23%ofthetotalpublications.USAwastheleadingcountryregardingsharingdatainthefieldofbipolardisordersfollowedbyEngland,Canada,andGermany.Conclusion: The editorial policy of The International Journal of Bipolar Disorders has beenfocused on new themes and new ways of researching in the subject area of bipolar disorder. Regarding the selection of papers for indexing, the SCI-E database selects data morecomprehensively than MEDLINE. The number of papers published by The Journal of BipolarDisorders, which has been indexed in SCI-E was 2 times greater than the number published inthe same journal indexed in MEDLINE during the same period.