Journal profile · Clinical Neurology
BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT
ISSN 0387-7604 · eISSN 1872-7131 · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Monthly · Founded 1979
BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.61; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,810; median 110 days to acceptance (93 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy (Elsevier website: 36%); 166 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 4 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Epilepsy research and treatment, Neonatal and fetal brain pathology and Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies, together about 27.3% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Official Journal of the Japanese Society of Child Neurology.Brain & Development (ISSN 0387-7604) is the Official Journal of the Japanese Society of Child Neurology and is aimed to promote clinical child neurology and developmental neuroscience. The journal is dedicated to clinical neurology and related neuroscience, with a particular emphasis on infants and children, while also encompassing broader age groups. It covers topics such as physiological and pathological brain development, neurodevelopmental disorders, cerebral palsy, genetic and metabolic disorders of the nervous system, epilepsy and seizure disorders, movement disorders, fetal and neonatal neurology, infectious and inflammatory disorders of the nervous system, neuromuscular disorders, and other neurologic diseases. The journal is devoted to publishing Review Articles, Full-Length Original Papers, Case Reports, and Letters to the Editor in the field of Child Neurology and related sciences. Proceedings of meetings, and professional announcements will be published at the Editor's discretion. Letters concerning articles published in Brain and Development and other relevant issues are also welcome.The author should choose from a list of scientific classifications, which will assist the editors in selecting reviewers with suitable expertise, as well as select an article type for their manuscript.2025 Journal Cover: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation therapy in patients with cognitively preserved structural focal epilepsy: A case series report. Shiraishi et al. Brain Dev 2024;46(1):49-56. Fig. 1D.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Clinical Neurology
Editor-in-chief Masafumi MorimotoPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Japan 42, United States 18, Italy 5, United Kingdom 2, South Korea 2 (84 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Epilepsy research and treatmentMedicine13.1%
- Neonatal and fetal brain pathologyMedicine7.2%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance7%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering7%
- Metabolism and Genetic DisordersBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.2%
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental DisordersBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology6.1%
- Pharmacological Effects and Toxicity StudiesMedicine4.7%
- Infectious Encephalopathies and EncephalitisMedicine4.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Clinical Neurology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Pediatrics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Clinical Neurology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Pediatrics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Clinical Neurology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Pediatrics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview 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
- 1.61LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 1.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 2.7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.52LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.78LetPub ·
- h-index
- 75LetPub ·
- h-index
- 121OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,159OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.41OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 11.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 16.92%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 128LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 7,295 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 98 | 24 | 23 |
| 2025 | 166 | 50 | 285 |
| 2024 | 82 | 29 | 181 |
| 2023 | 122 | 64 | 411 |
| 2022 | 138 | 57 | 589 |
| 2021 | 164 | 61 | 1,096 |
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
110 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 81 days – 156 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 12 days (93 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 124 days
- Sample
- 93 articles with submission and acceptance dates (294 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)
- 36%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 37 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 107 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 13 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 2,810 / EUR 2,630 / GBP 2,250 / JPY 348,520 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 2,810 | — | — |
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)
What to prepare3 items from the author guidelines
- Keywords
- ≥ 3
- Reference style
- Vancouver
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional, 3
Article types accepted7, with length limits
- case reportOriginal ArticlesThese may describe original clinical or laboratory research. The main text of original articles should generally be in the format of: Structure…main text ≤ 1,500 words · references ≤ 20
- case reportsCase ReportsA case report should describe a new disease, or confirmation of a rare or new disease; a new insight into pathogenesis, etiology, diagnosis, or trea…Length not stated
- letterOriginal ArticlesThese may describe original clinical or laboratory research. The main text of original articles should generally be in the format of: Structure…Length not stated
- letters to the editorThese should be up to 300 words in length, and should be submitted in response to material published in the journal to make small clinical points or to introduc…main text ≤ 300 words · references ≤ 5
- original articleOriginal ArticlesThese may describe original clinical or laboratory research. The main text of original articles should generally be in the format of: Structure…main text ≤ 250 words · references ≤ 50
- reviewOriginal ArticlesThese may describe original clinical or laboratory research. The main text of original articles should generally be in the format of: Structure…main text ≤ 3,000 words
- review articleReviews may concern either clinical or laboratory scientific topics. Relatively brief reviews of between 2,500 and 3,000 words are particularly welcome. Longer …main text ≤ 3,000 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Declaration of generative AI in scientific writing
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
All authors should have made substantial contributions to all of the following: 1) Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; 2) Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; 3) Final approval of the version to be published; 4) Agreement to be accountable for all aspects …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interest
Based on the detailed enforcement regulation of the guideline for Conflict of Interest's management in conducting clinical research, all authors must indicate whether or not they have a financial relationship with the organization that sponsored the research. (They should also state that they agree to allow the journal to review their data if requested.)The manuscript must be accompanied by the In…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability
Data availability statement encouraged at submission. Model summary
To foster transparency, we encourage you to state the availability of your data in your submission.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to complete a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' (see more information on this). An e-mail will be sent to the corresponding author confirming receipt of the manuscript together with a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' form or a link to the online version of this agreement.Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles includ…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Please visit our Open Access page for more information about open access publishing in this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized peer review; minimum two independent expert reviewers. Model summary
This journal operates a single anonymized review process. All contributions will be initially assessed by the editor for suitability for the journal. Papers deemed suitable are then typically sent to a minimum of two independent expert reviewers to assess the scientific quality of the paper. The Editor is responsible for the final decision regarding acceptance or rejection of articles. The Editor'…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprints may be shared anywhere at any time per Elsevier's sharing policy. Model summary
Please note that preprints can be shared anywhere at any time, in line with Elsevier's sharing policy. Sharing your preprints e.g. on a preprint server will not count as prior publication (see 'Multiple, redundant or concurrent publication' for more information).
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines
Clinical trial registration required per ICMJE guidelines; observational studies exempt. Model summary
This journal follows the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) clinical trials registration guidelines.
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
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1979
- ISSN
- 0387-7604
- Electronic ISSN
- 1872-7131
- Society / sponsor
- Japanese Society of Child Neurology
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT
What CAS zone is BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Clinical Neurology / Pediatrics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.61; CiteScore 2.7, h-index 121.
How long does peer review take at BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT?
Based on the dates recorded on 93 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 110 days (interquartile range 81–156 days); authors report an average review time of 4–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy (Elsevier website: 36%)”. 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 & DEVELOPMENT?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Keywords: ≥ 3; Reference style: Vancouver; Suggested reviewers: Optional, 3. 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 & DEVELOPMENT based?
Of the 84 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Japan (42), United States (18) and Italy (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT open access, and what is the APC?
BRAIN & DEVELOPMENT is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,810.
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: .