Journal profile · Anatomy & Morphology
Brain Structure & Function
ISSN 1863-2653 · eISSN 1863-2661 · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · GERMANY · Bimonthly · Founded 1891
Brain Structure & Function: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.02; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,790; median 108 days to acceptance (99 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 50%; 172 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Brain Structure & Function is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg 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 Functional Brain Connectivity Studies, Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research and Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications, together about 34.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are Cognitive Neuroscience. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Brain Structure and Function welcomes original research leading to significant advances in understanding brain structure-function relationships. The relationship between structure and function can be explored at different levels from individual cells to networks and using various models from animal to human. Cellular and Systems Neuroscience studies remain at the core of Brain Structure and Function, with a continued focus on high quality research into the mammalian central nervous system, although coverage may range beyond this taxon. Manuscripts with focus on the peripheral nervous system are not accepted for publication. Brain Structure and Function also welcomes high-quality Neuroimaging studies with a clear anatomical focus and anatomical hypotheses. Typical submissions in Brain Structure and Function can employ a combination of methods including genetics, post-mortem staining, high-throughput electron microscopy, in vitro / in vivo electrophysiology, electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography and neuroimaging (structural and/or functional) to investigate neuronal and glial structure, connectivity, and physiology. Functional investigations may include behavioural experiments and cognitive studies, provided they have a firm grounding in neuroanatomy. Emphasis is on normal brain function, although disease models contributing to the understanding of normal brain structure-function relationships will also be considered. Studies involving purely clinical or neuropathological analyses, without demonstrating the translational value to the healthy brain, are out of scope for this journal. Publications in Brain Structure and Function will remain strongly grounded in anatomy while progressively bridging existing gaps between neurobiology, neuroimaging and function.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Anatomy & Morphology
Editor-in-chief Linda RinamanPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 22, Germany 12, United Kingdom 5, France 3, Japan 2 (55 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Functional Brain Connectivity StudiesNeuroscience13%
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeuroscience11%
- Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and ApplicationsMedicine10.6%
- Neural dynamics and brain functionNeuroscience9.5%
- Memory and Neural MechanismsNeuroscience6.2%
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsNeuroscience4.7%
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeuroscience3.9%
- Advanced MRI Techniques and ApplicationsMedicine3.7%
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 | Anatomy & Morphology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Anatomy & Morphology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Anatomy & Morphology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINEEmbaseCASCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, AGRICOLA, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
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
- 3.02LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 6.6LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.31LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.16LetPub ·
- h-index
- 82LetPub ·
- h-index
- 134OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,183OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.64OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 3.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 49.26%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 142LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 1,300,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,213 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 141 | 97 | 35 |
| 2025 | 172 | 86 | 353 |
| 2024 | 147 | 96 | 826 |
| 2023 | 135 | 91 | 1,808 |
| 2022 | 171 | 111 | 2,854 |
| 2021 | 248 | 145 | 5,070 |
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 Crossref · to
108 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 64 days – 177 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 20 days (99 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 144 days
- Sample
- 99 articles with submission and acceptance dates (332 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 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double 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 4,790 / EUR 3,690 / GBP 2,990 | — | — |
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 prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 8,000 words
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted8, with length limits
- brief reportThe journal publishes research papers (usually less than 6000 words printed pages), brief reports (maximum 4000 words, including figures and references), review…main text ≤ 4,000 words
- brief reportsbrief reports (maximum 4000 words, including figures and references)Length not stated
- correspondencescorrespondences (maximum 2000 words)Length not stated
- methodologymethodology (maximum 7000 words)Length not stated
- research paperThe journal publishes research papers (usually less than 6000 words printed pages), brief reports (maximum 4000 words, including figures and references), review…main text ≤ 6,000 words
- research papersThe journal publishes research papers (usually less than 6000 words printed pages)Length not stated
- reviewThe journal publishes research papers (usually less than 6000 words printed pages), brief reports (maximum 4000 words, including figures and references), review…main text ≤ 8,000 words
- reviewsreviews (maximum 8000 words)Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLMs cannot be authors; use must be documented in Methods Model summary
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
Originality and exclusivity of submissions Model summary
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data Availability
Data Availability Statement required for all original research Model summary
All original research must include a Data Availability Statement. Data Availability Statements should provide information on where data supporting the results reported in the article can be found. Statements should include, where applicable, hyperlinks to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. When it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when in…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
Ethics approval statement required for human/animal research Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Brain Structure and Function, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Reviewers may be suggested/excluded; must be independent Model summary
Authors are welcome to suggest suitable reviewers and/or request the exclusion of certain individuals when they submit their manuscripts. When suggesting reviewers, authors should make sure they are totally independent and not connected to the work in any way.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
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
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- GERMANY
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1891
- ISSN
- 1863-2653
- Electronic ISSN
- 1863-2661
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Brain Structure & Function
What CAS zone is Brain Structure & Function in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Brain Structure & Function is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Anatomy & Morphology / Neurosciences. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Brain Structure & Function?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.02; CiteScore 6.6, h-index 134.
How long does peer review take at Brain Structure & Function?
Based on the dates recorded on 99 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 108 days (interquartile range 64–177 days); authors report an average review time of about 8 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 50%”. 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 Structure & Function?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Manuscript length: ≤ 8,000 words; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional. 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 Structure & Function based?
Of the 55 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (22), Germany (12) and United Kingdom (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Brain Structure & Function?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Brain Structure & Function is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE, Embase, CAS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Brain Structure & Function open access, and what is the APC?
Brain Structure & Function is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,790.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; 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 2026-08-25). Last updated: .