Journal profile · Neurosciences
Current Opinion in Neurobiology
ISSN 0959-4388 · eISSN 1873-6882 · Elsevier Ltd · ENGLAND · Bimonthly · Founded 1991
Current Opinion in Neurobiology: CAS Zone 2 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 5.53; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,320; median 91 days to acceptance (98 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly hard; 153 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Current Opinion in Neurobiology is published by Elsevier Ltd and is in Zone 2 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research, Neural dynamics and brain function and Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research, together about 35% of its articles. Its main subfields are Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience and Cognitive Neuroscience. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Current Opinion in Neurobiology publishes short annotated reviews by leading experts on recent developments in the field of neurobiology. These experts write short reviews describing recent discoveries in this field (in the past 2-5 years), as well as highlighting select individual papers of particular significance.The journal is thus an important resource allowing researchers and educators to quickly gain an overview and rich understanding of complex and current issues in the field of Neurobiology. The journal takes a unique and valuable approach in focusing each special issue around a topic of scientific and/or societal interest, and then bringing together leading international experts studying that topic, embracing diverse methodologies and perspectives.Journal Content: The journal consists of 6 issues per year, covering 8 recurring topics every other year in the following categories:Neurobiology of DiseaseNeurobiology of BehaviorCellular NeuroscienceSystems NeuroscienceDevelopmental NeuroscienceNeurobiology of Learning and PlasticityMolecular NeuroscienceComputational NeuroscienceIn addition, every year 2 issues are allocated to Hot Topics. Section Editors, who are major authorities in the field, are appointed by the Editors-in-Chief of the journal to commission reviews from experts on each topic that they have selected. Review articles in Current Opinion in Neurobiology are by invitation only.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Neurosciences
Editor-in-chief Eunjoon KimPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 8 in mainland China (about 9%); most named United States 37, Germany 10, Mainland China 8, United Kingdom 8, Switzerland 6 (90 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeuroscience14.1%
- Neural dynamics and brain functionNeuroscience13.6%
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology ResearchNeuroscience7.3%
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsNeuroscience5.4%
- Memory and Neural MechanismsNeuroscience5.3%
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics researchNeuroscience4.2%
- Axon Guidance and Neuronal SignalingNeuroscience3.9%
- Visual perception and processing mechanismsNeuroscience3.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: yes
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 2 |
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 | Neurosciences | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: yes
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
- 5.53LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 5.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 9.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 9.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.87LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.43LetPub ·
- h-index
- 210LetPub ·
- h-index
- 310OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,682OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 5.3OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 1.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 56.33%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 136LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,809 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 88 | 66 | 45 |
| 2025 | 153 | 112 | 682 |
| 2024 | 81 | 65 | 980 |
| 2023 | 122 | 94 | 2,587 |
| 2022 | 124 | 91 | 3,651 |
| 2021 | 129 | 93 | 5,110 |
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
91 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 60 days – 155 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 28 days (98 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 120 days
- Sample
- 98 articles with submission and acceptance dates (259 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)
- Fairly hardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 78 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 129 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 26 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 4,320 / EUR 4,040 / GBP 3,460 / JPY 535,810 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,180 | — | — |
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 prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 2,000 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted3, with length limits
- opinionReview ArticlesAuthors write short review articles in which they present recent developments in their subject, emphasising the aspects that, in their opinion, a…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- reviewReview ArticlesAuthors write short review articles in which they present recent developments in their subject, emphasising the aspects that, in their opinion, a…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- short reviewReview ArticlesAuthors write short review articles in which they present recent developments in their subject, emphasising the aspects that, in their opinion, a…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
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 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 Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1991
- ISSN
- 0959-4388
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-6882
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Current Opinion in Neurobiology
What CAS zone is Current Opinion in Neurobiology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Current Opinion in Neurobiology is in Zone 2 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Neurosciences. 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 Current Opinion in Neurobiology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.53; CiteScore 9.6, h-index 310.
How long does peer review take at Current Opinion in Neurobiology?
Based on the dates recorded on 98 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 91 days (interquartile range 60–155 days); authors report an average review time of 4–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly hard”. 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 Current Opinion in Neurobiology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 2,000 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: 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 Current Opinion in Neurobiology based?
Of the 90 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 8 (about 9%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (37), Germany (10) and Mainland China (8). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Current Opinion in Neurobiology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Current Opinion in Neurobiology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Current Opinion in Neurobiology open access, and what is the APC?
Current Opinion in Neurobiology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,320.
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 2026-08-25). Last updated: .