Journal profile · Immunology
Brain Behavior and Immunity
ISSN 0889-1591 · eISSN 1090-2139 · Academic Press Inc. · UNITED STATES · Bimonthly · Founded 1987
Brain Behavior and Immunity: CAS Zone 1 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 7.4; hybrid open access; APC about USD 5,680; median 153 days to acceptance (96 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard (Elsevier website: 33%); 575 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Brain Behavior and Immunity is published by Academic Press Inc. and is in Zone 1 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Tryptophan and brain disorders, Stress Responses and Cortisol and Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms, together about 54.9% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, founded in 1987, is the official journal of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society (PNIRS). This innovative journal publishes peer-reviewed basic, experimental, and clinical studies dealing with behavioral, neural, endocrine, and immune system interactions in humans and animals. It is an international, interdisciplinary journal devoted to original research in neuroscience, immunology, integrative physiology, behavioral biology, psychiatry, psychology, and clinical medicine and is inclusive of research at the molecular, cellular, social, and whole organism level. The journal features online submission and review. Manuscripts are typically peer-reviewed and returned to authors within 30 days of submission, leading to timely publication of experimental results. There are no submission fees or page charges for Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, which is published eight times a year.Research areas include:Physiological mechanisms that convey messages between the immune and nervous systems and regulate their functionsStress and immunity, including the role of stress-related hormones and neurotransmitters on the immune system.Actions of cytokines, growth factors and PAMP activation on neuronal and glial cells that regulate behavior, learning, memory and neurogenesisRole of hormones, growth factors and cytokines in the immune and central or peripheral nervous systemsInteractions between the immune system and brain that are involved in development of neurological, psychiatric, and mental health disordersRole of immunological processes in neurodegenerative disordersThe effects of psychotropic medications on immunological mechanisms and their potential relevance to therapeutic interventionsNeuroimaging studies examining how immunological mechanisms affect brain structure and functionClinical trials and experimental studies testing the effects on both immune stimulation and immune suppression on brain and behaviorThe role of microglia in pain, psychological processes and in psychiatric disordersImmunological mechanisms involved in traumatic brain injury and its resolutionImmunologic disorders, infection and behaviorRole of the immune system in development and maintenance of inflammatory and chronic painImmune mechanisms that regulate the blood-brain-interface (BBI)Immune factors that affect health psychologySleep, exercise, immunity and healthImmune system interactions that affect behavior following use of psychotropic drugs, alcohol and other drugs of abuseHealthy aging of the immune system and brainRole of inflammation and stress during perinatal developmentCancer and its treatment, stem cells and their effects on brain behavior and immunityReciprocal communication between the microbiome, immune and nervous systemsRegulation of nerve injury and repair by the immune systemPsychosocial, behavioral, and neuroendocrine influences on immunity and on the development and progression of immunologically-mediated diseasesNutrition, inflammation, obesity and behaviorGenomics of behavior and immunityManuscripts exploring translational relevance in these research areas can be submitted to the journal's open access companion title, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health.Manuscripts with a focus on integrative Asian health practices and medicine exploring mind-body investigations dealing with behavioral, neural, endocrine and immune system interactions can be submitted to Brain Behavior and Immunity Integrative: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/brain-behavior-and-immunity-integrative.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Immunology
Editor-in-chief Carmine PariantePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 13 in mainland China (about 6%); most named United States 119, United Kingdom 30, Mainland China 13, Canada 11, Germany 10 (232 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Tryptophan and brain disordersNeuroscience20.5%
- Stress Responses and CortisolNeuroscience18.8%
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNeuroscience15.6%
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorPsychology4%
- Immune Response and InflammationImmunology and Microbiology3.3%
- Cancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune ResponseMedicine3.1%
- Pain Mechanisms and TreatmentsMedicine2.9%
- Gut microbiota and healthBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology2.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Psychiatry | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Psychiatry | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Psychiatry | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 7.4LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 7.5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 12.9LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 12.9Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.69LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.73LetPub ·
- h-index
- 127LetPub ·
- h-index
- 251OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,747OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 5.34OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 47.59%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 357LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 10,048 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 401 | 211 | 213 |
| 2025 | 575 | 282 | 1,951 |
| 2024 | 618 | 355 | 6,344 |
| 2023 | 538 | 241 | 8,062 |
| 2022 | 418 | 171 | 8,218 |
| 2021 | 544 | 209 | 15,978 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
153 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 116 days – 195 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 1 days (96 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 154 days
- Sample
- 96 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,015 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 4–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 33%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 49 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 142 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 5,680 / EUR 5,310 / GBP 4,550 / JPY 704,490 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,860 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 6,000 words
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted12, with length limits
- brief commentariesOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- commentaryOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- full-length review articlesOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- letters to the editorOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- opinionOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- original full-length research reportsOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- research reportOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- reviewOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…main text ≤ 6,000 words
- review articleOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- short communicationOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…main text ≤ 3,500 words
- short communicationsOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
- viewpointOriginal full-length research reports, full-length review articles, short communications, brief commentaries, and letters to the editor will be considered for p…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship
By adhering to the authorship requirements stated above, authors meet the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria [updated version January 2024] on authorship.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Academic Press Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1987
- ISSN
- 0889-1591
- Electronic ISSN
- 1090-2139
- Society / sponsor
- Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Brain Behavior and Immunity
What CAS zone is Brain Behavior and Immunity in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Brain Behavior and Immunity is in Zone 1 of Medicine, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Neurosciences / Psychiatry / Immunology; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Brain Behavior and Immunity?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 7.4; CiteScore 12.9, h-index 251.
How long does peer review take at Brain Behavior and Immunity?
Based on the dates recorded on 96 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 153 days (interquartile range 116–195 days); authors report an average review time of 4–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard (Elsevier website: 33%)”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Brain Behavior and Immunity?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Manuscript length: ≤ 6,000 words; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Brain Behavior and Immunity based?
Of the 232 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 13 (about 6%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (119), United Kingdom (30) and Mainland China (13). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Brain Behavior and Immunity?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Brain Behavior and Immunity is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Brain Behavior and Immunity open access, and what is the APC?
Brain Behavior and Immunity is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 5,680.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .