Journal profile · Multiple
Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health
ISSN 2666-3546 · Elsevier
Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.8 (journal website); fully open access; APC about USD 2,500; median 133 days to acceptance (104 articles, last 24 months); 205 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 3 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). 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 51.9% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health (BBI - Health) is an open access journal and a companion title to Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. Both journals are the official journals of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society (PNIRS).BBI Health publishes peer-reviewed basic, experimental, and clinical studies, dealing with behavioral, neural, endocrine, and immune system interactions in humans and animals, with an emphasis on research that has translational impact and clinical implications. The content spans a broad range of research fields, from neuroscience to immunology, from physiology to behavioural sciences, from psychiatry and psychology to clinical medicine, from molecular and cellular models to social and epidemiological observations.Publications include research articles, reviews, special issues, research protocols, case reports, and viewpoints discussing policy, including ethical, health and cultural implications of research in psychoneuroimmunology.Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health is a Gold Open Access journal with no subscription charges. Instead, an article publishing charge (APC) is payable by the author or research funder to cover the costs associated with publication. Authors who publish in BBI Health will have a choice of license options, retain copyright to their published work, and their work will be immediately, permanently, and freely accessible.For full information on publishing your paper open access in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health, visit the journal's open access information page and guide for authors.Please note: PNIRS members will receive a 15% discount on the full APC.Research areas are broadly similar to those of Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, but with an emphasis on papers of translational relevance, such as:Biomarker analysis in patient samples and longitudinal cohorts. Results of clinical trials that examine psychological and psychiatric outcomes following treatment with drugs modulating the immune system. Results of clinical trials that examine immunological outcomes following treatment with drugs that affect the brain or psychological intervention. Cellular and animal work with compounds that have potential therapeutic applications.Protocol for clinical studies and clinical trials in these areas.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editor-in-chief Carmine PariantePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 12 in mainland China (about 6%); most named United States 112, United Kingdom 28, Mainland China 12, Canada 11, Germany 9 (217 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Tryptophan and brain disordersNeuroscience25.2%
- Stress Responses and CortisolNeuroscience16.6%
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNeuroscience10%
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19Medicine7.1%
- COVID-19 and Mental HealthPsychology3.8%
- Gut microbiota and healthBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology3.6%
- Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ResearchMedicine3.1%
- Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumMedicine3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Psychiatry | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Immunology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Psychiatry | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
Database indexing
ESCIScopusDOAJLetPub
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 (publisher)
- 3.8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 5.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.17LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.9LetPub ·
- h-index
- 54OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 466OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.26OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 100%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 199LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,228 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 194 | 194 | 45 |
| 2025 | 205 | 205 | 520 |
| 2024 | 197 | 197 | 1,376 |
| 2023 | 120 | 120 | 1,454 |
| 2022 | 152 | 152 | 2,458 |
| 2021 | 193 | 193 | 4,985 |
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
133 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 102 days – 171 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 2 days (104 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 139 days
- Sample
- 104 articles with submission and acceptance dates (469 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)
- about 8 weeksLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 62 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 128 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to publication (journal-reported)
- about 8 weeksDOAJ ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewDOAJ
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
Fully open accessDOAJ
Every article is open access; authors usually pay an article processing charge (APC).
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOAJ | USD 2,500 | Yes | CC BY, CC BY-NC, CC BY-NC-ND | |
| OpenAlex | USD 2,890 / EUR 2,700 / GBP 2,310 / JPY 358,450 | — | — | |
| LetPub | USD 2,500 | Yes | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,550 | — | — |
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Other fees
- No other fees
- Page charges
- No page charges
- Submission fee
- No submission fee
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)
What to prepare2 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 6,000 words
Article types accepted10, with length limits
- commentariesInvited by the Editor, they are limited to 900-1000 words and 5-10 references (including a refence to the relevant published report).Length not stated
- commentaryThese are short pieces written to accompany the publication of impactful full-length research reports. Invited by the Editor, they are limited to 900-1000 words…main text ≤ 900 words · references ≤ 10
- full-length research reportsThere is no word limit on full length research reports, but papers should be consisely written and most should be able to articulate their findings within appro…Length not stated
- letters to the editorThese should be of high scientific quality, contain less than 500 words, and cite no more than 5 scientific references. If the letter is directed to a paper pub…main text ≤ 500 words
- reviewh evidence that is clinically relevant. Reviews consist of approximately 6,000 words of text and no more than 100 scientific references. Reviewsmain text ≤ 6,000 words
- reviewsReviews consist of approximately 6,000 words of text and no more than 100 scientific references.Length not stated
- short communicationthis format. Papers will be considered short communications if the text, references, and a maximum of two tables or figures (or one of each) are limited to 3,50…main text ≤ 3,500 words
- short communicationsPapers will be considered short communications if the text, references, and a maximum of two tables or figures (or one of each) are limited to 3,500 words.Length not stated
- viewpointThese are opinion pieces that provide a personal view on broad, contemporary topics relevant to the interaction between health, brain, behaviour and immunity. I…main text ≤ 900 words · references ≤ 10
- viewpointsInvited by the Editor, they are limited to 900-1000 words and 5-10 references, and will generally be immediately 'open-access' at no costs to the auhors.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 Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
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
- Elsevier
- ISSN
- 2666-3546
- Society / sponsor
- Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Aims & Scope ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
- APC information ↗DOAJ
- Fee waivers ↗DOAJ
- Open access statement ↗DOAJ
- License & copyright ↗DOAJ
- Peer review process ↗LetPub
- Editorial board ↗LetPub
- Plagiarism policy ↗DOAJ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health
What CAS zone is Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Immunology / Neurosciences / Psychiatry. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 3.8; this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 5.6, h-index 54.
How long does peer review take at Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health?
Based on the dates recorded on 104 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 133 days (interquartile range 102–171 days); authors report an average review time of about 8 weeks. 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 & Immunity-Health?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Manuscript length: ≤ 6,000 words. 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 & Immunity-Health based?
Of the 217 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 12 (about 6%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (112), United Kingdom (28) and Mainland China (12). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health is indexed in ESCI, Scopus and DOAJ.
Is Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health open access, and what is the APC?
Brain Behavior & Immunity-Health is a fully open-access journal. APC about USD 2,500.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex, DOAJ; 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: .