Announcements

Neurodegeneration holds profound modern significance as it represents a pressing challenge at the intersection of health, science, and society. With aging populations worldwide, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS are steadily increasing, posing significant burdens on individuals, families, healthcare systems, and economies. Moreover, these conditions not only rob individuals of their cognitive and motor functions but also exact emotional, financial, and societal tolls. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration has become a critical priority in biomedical research, not only to develop effective treatments but also to devise strategies for prevention and early intervention. Furthermore, as the quest for effective therapies intensifies, the study of neurodegeneration offers a gateway to unraveling the complexities of brain function and dysfunction, with potential implications extending beyond neurological disorders to broader questions about aging, cognition, and human resilience. Importantly, the “Neurodegenerative Diseases” Section of Brain Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3425) focuses on publishing articles covering a range of conditions including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple system atrophy, prion diseases, and more.

All articles published in our journal are available in an open access format, granting you unrestricted access to the full free text. We invite you to explore our most highly cited papers from 2022 and 2023 listed below:

1. “Local Field Potential-Guided Contact Selection Using Chronically Implanted Sensing Devices for Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease”
by Joshua N. Strelow, Till A. Dembek, Juan C. Baldermann, Pablo Andrade, Hannah Jergas, Veerle Visser-Vandewalle and Michael T. Barbe
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(12), 1726; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12121726
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/12/1726

2. “BDNF and Pro-BDNF in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A New Perspective for Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration”
by Giulia Riolo, Claudia Ricci, Nicoletta De Angelis, Carlotta Marzocchi, Gisella Guerrera, Giovanna Borsellino, Fabio Giannini and Stefania Battistini
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(5), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12050617
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/5/617

3. “Apathy in Parkinson’s Disease: Defining the Park Apathy Subtype”
by Ségolène De Waele, Patrick Cras and David Crosiers
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(7), 923; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12070923
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/7/923

4. “Capturing Subjective Mild Cognitive Decline in Parkinson’s Disease”
by Sara Rosenblum, Sonya Meyer, Ariella Richardson and Sharon Hassin-Baer
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(6), 741; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12060741
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/6/741

5. “The Role of Tryptophan Metabolism in Alzheimer’s Disease”
by Karl Savonije and Donald F. Weaver
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(2), 292; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020292
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/2/292

6. “OViTAD: Optimized Vision Transformer to Predict Various Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease Using Resting-State fMRI and Structural MRI Data”
by Saman Sarraf, Arman Sarraf, Danielle D. DeSouza, John A. E. Anderson, Milton Kabia and The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(2), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13020260
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/2/260

7. “Exploring Whether Iron Sequestration within the CNS of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Causes a Functional Iron Deficiency That Advances Neurodegeneration”
by Steven M. LeVine, Sheila Tsau and Sumedha Gunewardena
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(3), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13030511
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/3/511

8. “Visual Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease”
by Francisco Nieto-Escamez, Esteban Obrero-Gaitán and Irene Cortés-Pérez
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(8), 1173; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13081173
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/8/1173

On UNESCO’s 2024 Oceans Day, MDPI encourages the scientific community to increase the accessibility of ocean research to accelerate ocean conservation.

Basel, Switzerland, June 7, 2024: MDPI, a leading open access (OA) publisher, is proud to announce its active support for World Oceans Day 2024, celebrated under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade framework. MDPI’s CEO, Stefan Tochev hopes that “the latest ocean research can be made freely accessible to help empower scientists and communities at large to save our oceans,” under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade until 2030.

Open Access: A Catalyst for Ocean Action

MDPI’s presence at the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference 2024 highlights our unwavering commitment to using OA to advance ocean science, support research communities, and promote sustainable ocean management.

"Our involvement in the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference underscores MDPI's commitment to the underfunded Ocean SDG. By promoting OA to scientific articles and books on SDGs, we aim to inspire critical actions," said Tochev. "Our initiatives, like the World Sustainability Award and Emerging Sustainability Award, further demonstrate our dedication to advancing sustainability.”

Showcasing MDPI’s Contributions to Ocean Research

Over the past three years, MDPI has published 30,000 papers focused on ocean research and related topics. Key MDPI journals contributing to this body of work include:

• Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (4.9k papers)
• Remote Sensing (2.6k papers)
• Sustainability (2k papers)
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) (1.7k papers)
• Marine Drugs (1.5k papers)
• Water (1.5k papers)

These publications highlight MDPI’s contributions to ocean science, reinforcing our role in the broader sustainability agenda by promoting blue innovation and economy.

Additionally, MDPI has launched Oceans, an international, peer-reviewed forum specifically aimed at publishing studies related to all branches of oceanography with an emphasis on the functioning of the ocean and the sustainable use of its resources and ecosystem services.

Affirming MDPI’s Commitment to Ocean Science

MDPI’s commitment to OA is pivotal in addressing critical global challenges, from climate change to ocean sustainability. Our efforts resonate with Outcome 4 of the UNESCO Ocean Decade action roadmap: an accessible ocean with open and equitable access to data, information, technology, and innovation. By aligning with UNESCO’s goals, MDPI continues to contribute to shaping a sustainable future for our oceans, reinforcing our position as a forward-thinking publisher dedicated to environmental stewardship and scientific excellence.

For more information, contact Rui Duarte at [email protected] or +41764313242.

About MDPI

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative—the Brain Sciences Special Issue Mentor Program.

This program will enable early career researchers (who hold a Ph.D. in a related field) to experience editing a Special Issue in MDPI journals under the mentorship of our experienced Editorial Board Members or other scientists. Early career scientists will have an excellent opportunity to gain editorial experience and cultivate their ability to edit scientific research.

The mentees’ responsibilities include the following:

• Proposing a Special Issue title and assisting mentors in preparing a summary (around 150–200 words) and 3–10 keywords describing the background, importance, and goal of the Special Issue;
• Writing a brief promotion plan for the Special Issue;
• Preparing a list of scholars that may be interested in the Special Issue and personally e-mailing invitations on behalf of the Guest Editors;
• Collaborating with mentors to write an editorial for the online Special Issue.

The mentors’ responsibilities include the following:

• Conducting a final check before the Special Issue is published online;
• Performing editorial control of the Special Issue and quality control of the publications in a timely manner;
• Providing suggestions to younger scholars if they have doubts or concerns regarding submissions;
• Organizing regular video calls with young scholars and the Editorial Office to discuss problems and make suggestions to improve the Special Issue;
• Making and submitting decisions for submissions with the assistance of mentees.

Certificates and awards:

After the Special Issue closes, the Editorial Office will provide official certificates to all the mentors and mentees.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please send your Special Issue proposal to the Brain Sciences Editorial Office, and we will discuss the process (i.e., mentor collaboration, Special Issue topic feasibility analysis, etc.) in further detail.

In addition to the new Special Issue Mentor Program, Brain Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3425) will continue to welcome all Special Issue proposals focusing on hot research topics.

Brain Sciences Editorial Office

The aim of the “Neurorehabilitation” Section of Brain Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3425) is to publish articles that cover the full life span and range of neurological disabilities.

As all of the articles published in our journal are of an open access format, you have free and unlimited access to the full texts. We welcome you to read our most highly cited papers published in 2022 and 2023, which are listed below.

1. “A Comprehensive Review of Physical Therapy Interventions for Stroke Rehabilitation: Impairment-Based Approaches and Functional Goals”
by Jawaria Shahid, Ayesha Kashif and Muhammad Kashif Shahid
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(5), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13050717
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/5/717

2. “Does Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Improve Attention Processes in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury? Encouraging Data from a Pilot Study”
by Rosaria De Luca, Mirjam Bonanno, Carmela Rifici, Patrizia Pollicino, Angelo Caminiti, Giovanni Morone and Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(9), 1211; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12091211
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/9/1211

3. “Post-Stroke Outcomes of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease”
by Aleksandra Szylińska, Katarzyna Kotfis, Marta Bott-Olejnik, Paweł Wańkowicz and Iwona Rotter
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(1), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12010106
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/1/106

4. “Exploring the Potential of Immersive Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Unilateral Spatial Neglect Due to Stroke: A Comprehensive Systematic Review”
by Alex Martino Cinnera, Alessio Bisirri, Ilaria Chioccia, Enza Leone, Irene Ciancarelli, Marco Iosa, Giovanni Morone and Valeria Verna
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(11), 1589; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12111589
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/11/1589

5. “A Novel Approach to Increase Attention during Mirror Therapy among Stroke Patients: A Video-Based Behavioral Analysis”
by Sungbae Jo, Hyunjin Kim and Changho Song
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(3), 297; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12030297
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/3/297

6. “Balance Rehabilitation through Robot-Assisted Gait Training in Post-Stroke Patients: A
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”             
by Alberto Loro, Margherita Beatrice Borg, Marco Battaglia, Angelo Paolo Amico, Roberto Antenucci, Paolo Benanti, Michele Bertoni, Luciano Bissolotti, Paolo Boldrini, Donatella Bonaiuti et al.
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(1), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13010092
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/1/92

7. “Neurophysiological and Clinical Effects of Upper Limb Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation on Motor Recovery in Patients with Subacute Stroke: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Study Protocol”
by Sanaz Pournajaf, Giovanni Morone, Sofia Straudi, Michela Goffredo, Maria Rosaria Leo, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò, Giorgio Felzani, Stefano Paolucci, Serena Filoni, Andrea Santamato et al.
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(4), 700; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13040700
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/4/700

8. “Virtual Reality Applications in Neurorehabilitation: Current Panorama and Challenges”
by Francisco Nieto-Escamez, Irene Cortés-Pérez, Esteban Obrero-Gaitán and Augusto Fusco
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(5), 819; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13050819
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/5/819

9. “Early Hemorrhagic Transformation after Reperfusion Therapy in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: Analysis of Risk Factors and Predictors”
by Aida Iancu, Florina Buleu, Dana Simona Chita, Adrian Tutelca, Raluca Tudor and Silviu Brad
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(5), 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13050840
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/5/840

95% of authors rate MDPI’s publication process as excellent or good, setting a new benchmark in scientific publishing – reveals 2023 Annual Report. 

Basel, Switzerland, June 4, 2024: MDPI, the leading open access (OA) publisher, proudly announces the release of its 2023 Annual Report, detailing remarkable achievements and reaffirming its leadership in advancing OA publishing. In 2023, MDPI received 655,065 submissions, of which 285,244 articles were published. The company now commands a 17% market share in gold open access articles, with a median publication time of six weeks.

Stefan Tochev, MDPI's CEO, stated, "As a pioneer in open access publishing, MDPI has long been a game-changer in the scholarly community, serving millions of authors around the world to ensure the latest research is freely available. Reflecting on our incredible journey at MDPI, 2023 has been marked by growth in paper submissions, ambitious projects and initiatives aimed at improving our internal processes and delivering top-notch services to our scientists."

MDPI's 2023 Annual Report highlights several key achievements:

• 17% market share in gold open access articles across all disciplines.
• Record satisfaction rates: 95% of authors, 82% of reviewers, and 85% of guest editors.
• Enhanced editorial standards and feedback processes.
• Increased reach and impact with 54 new MDPI journal inclusions in Scopus, 29 in Web of Science, and 77 in DOAJ.

MDPI’s unwavering commitment to advancing OA has transformed the landscape of scholarly publishing, making high-quality research freely accessible to the global scientific community. The continuous improvement in our editorial standards and feedback processes underscores MDPI’s dedication to ensuring academic integrity and excellence.

Global Reach and Collaboration

MDPI’s global footprint continues to expand, with authors from diverse regions: 37% from Asia/Pacific, 36% from Europe, 15% from the Americas, and 12% from other parts of the world. The company’s fully OA platform attracted nearly 14 million monthly visitors in 2023, reflecting its widespread influence in the scientific community.

Commitment to Partnerships

With over 800 institutional partners, MDPI continues to demonstrate its dedication to providing reliable and collaborative publishing services. The introduction of a transparent flat-fee model highlights MDPI's ongoing efforts to enhance affordability and support to the academic community. For more details read our 2023 Annual Report.

For more information, contact Rui Duarte at [email protected] or +41764313242.

About MDPI

The “Neuropharmacology and Neuropathology” Section of the journal Brain Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3425) aims to present findings within the neuropharmacology and neuropathology field from mechanistic insights to putative therapeutic strategies.

As all of the articles published in our journal are of an open access format, you have free and unlimited access to the full texts. We welcome you to read our most highly cited papers published in 2022 and 2023 listed below:

1. “Biomarkers in Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Systematic Literature Review of the Last Decade”
by Julius Lindblom, Chandra Mohan and Ioannis Parodis
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(2), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12020192
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/2/192

2. “Pharmacological Treatments for Cocaine Craving: What Is the Way Forward? A Systematic Review”
by Dângela Layne Silva Lassi, André Malbergier, André Brooking Negrão, Lígia Florio, João P. De Aquino and João Maurício Castaldelli-Maia
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(11), 1546; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12111546
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/11/1546

3. “Acute Cerebellar Inflammation and Related Ataxia: Mechanisms and Pathophysiology”
by Md. Sorwer Alam Parvez and Gen Ohtsuki
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(3), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12030367
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/3/367

4. “Keeping the Balance: GABAB Receptors in the Developing Brain and Beyond”
by Davide Bassetti
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(4), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12040419
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/4/419

5. “Kappa Free Light Chains in Cerebrospinal Fluid in Inflammatory and Non-Inflammatory Neurological Diseases”
by Franz Felix Konen, Philipp Schwenkenbecher, Konstantin Fritz Jendretzky, Stefan Gingele, Torsten Witte, Kurt-Wolfram Sühs, Matthias Grothe, Malte Johannes Hannich, Marie Süße and Thomas Skripuletz
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(4), 475; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12040475
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/4/475

6. “Therapeutic Strategies to Ameliorate Neuronal Damage in Epilepsy by Regulating Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Neuroinflammation”
by Sahithi Madireddy and Samskruthi Madireddy
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(5), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13050784
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/5/784

7. “A Comprehensive Review on Anti-Inflammatory Response of Flavonoids in Experimentally-Induced Epileptic Seizures”
by Shyam Sunder Rabidas, Chandra Prakash, Jyoti Tyagi, Jyoti Suryavanshi, Pavan Kumar, Jaydeep Bhattacharya and Deepak Sharma
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(1), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13010102
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/1/102

8. “Characteristics of Movement Disorders in Patients with Autoimmune GFAP Astrocytopathy”
by Akio Kimura, Akira Takekoshi and Takayoshi Shimohata
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(4), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12040462
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/4/462

9. “Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Antiphospholipid Syndrome—A Narrative Review”
by Yik Long Man and Giovanni Sanna
Brain Sci. 2022, 12(1), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12010091
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/1/91

10. “Mood Stabilizers of First and Second Generation”
by Janusz K. Rybakowski
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(5), 741; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13050741
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/5/741

MDPI will attend the 10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, held in Helsinki, Finland, from 29 June to 2 July 2024, at booth #E28. We invite researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The EAN Congress covers “big diseases” such as multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, headache, muscle disorders, epilepsy, dementia, and stroke, as well as breakthrough research on rare diseases. This edition will celebrate 10 years of the EAN with over 8000 professionals. The 10th EAN Congress's overarching theme is “Neuromodulation: Advances and Opportunities in Neurological Diseases”. Leading specialists will tackle hot topics in invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation in movement and cognitive disorders, chronic pain, and refractory epilepsy. The current state and future directions of neuromodulation will be addressed with relevant questions regarding which techniques are available as diagnostic tools or therapeutic interventions; how to precisely target specific cortical regions, deep brain structures, and head nerves for therapeutic purposes; and how to advance neuromodulation in new areas of neurology such as chronic minimally conscious state or limb prosthesis.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Biomedicines;
• Clinical and Translational Neuroscience;
• Brain Sciences;
• Biomolecules;
• Cells;
• Current Issues in Molecular Biology;
• Diagnostics;
• Genes;
• Healthcare;
• International Journal of Translational Medicine;
• Journal of Clinical Medicine;
• Life;
• Muscles;
• Methods and Protocols;
• Neuroglia;
• Neurology International;
• Vaccines.

If you are planning to attend the conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth #E28. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.ean.org/congress2024.

Conference: FENS Forum 2024
Date: 25–29 June 2024
Location: Vienna, Austria

MDPI will be attending FENS Forum 2024 as an exhibitor; we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

This conference has been organized by the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), the Austrian Neuroscience Association (ANA) and and the Hungarian Neuroscience Society. The FENS Forum is Europe’s largest neuroscience congress, covering all areas of neuroscience from basic to translational research.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Brain Sciences;
• Journal of Clinical Medicine (JCM);
• Cells;
• NeuroSci;
• Neuroglia;
• Biomedicines;
• Neurology International;
• Behavioral Sciences;
• Psychoactives.

If you are planning on attending this conference, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #1003, and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.fens.org/meetings/fens-forum/upcoming-fens-forums.

We are pleased to announce MDPI’s Transfer Service.

This service provides a convenient method of transferring your manuscript file, along with any reviewer comments, to another journal within our publishing portfolio.

We are committed to helping authors find the right home for their research, and we will provide authors with guidance and technical support through all stages of the transfer process. Authors will be able to choose to transfer in the following two situations:

1. Select alternative journals on submission.

2. Authors are encouraged to transfer manuscripts to other MDPI journals.

More details about the Transfer Service can be found at the following link:

https://www.mdpi.com/authors/transfer-service