Journal profile · NEUROSCIENCES
Journal of Cognitive Enhancement
ISSN 2509-3290 · eISSN 2509-3304 · Springer Nature
Journal of Cognitive Enhancement: CAS Zone 4 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.2 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,190; median 224 days to acceptance (61 articles, last 24 months); 25 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Cognitive Enhancement is published by Springer Nature 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 Cognitive Abilities and Testing, Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies and Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions, together about 35.7% of its articles. Its main subfields are Cognitive Neuroscience and Experimental and Cognitive Psychology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of Cognitive Enhancement provides an outlet for research focused on ways in which human cognitive function can be improved. This is an extremely broad domain encompassing many different disciplines, methodological approaches, and targeted cognitive functions. The research covered in the journal thus reflects this breadth, publishing work by authors from cognitive science, neuroscience, education science, nutrition science, kinesiology, pharmacology, computer science, contemplative studies, and beyond. Given the obvious potential real-world importance of augmented cognitive functions, the journal publishes both basic science studies (e.g., research focused on particular mechanisms through which a cognitive function can be enhanced), as well as studies designed to assess the efficacy of particular paradigms for enhancing cognitive function (e.g., randomized-controlled trials). Finally, while the journal primarily publishes original empirical research, it also publishes review and theoretical articles, with a strong preference for those that are forward-looking and hypothesis generating.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): NEUROSCIENCES
Editor-in-chief C. ShawnPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 18, Italy 7, Germany 6, United Kingdom 4, Canada 3 (51 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Cognitive Abilities and TestingPsychology14.4%
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeuroscience13.3%
- Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsPsychology8%
- Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical InnovationsNeuroscience5.3%
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation StudiesNeuroscience5%
- Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesPsychology4.5%
- Cognitive Functions and MemoryPsychology4.5%
- EEG and Brain-Computer InterfacesNeuroscience4.3%
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 | Neurosciences | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
Database indexing
ESCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
PsycINFOPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, 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 (publisher) 2025
- 1.2Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.3LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.48LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.8LetPub ·
- h-index
- 41OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 148OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.56OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 52.44%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 25LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 196,700Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 375 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 33 | 26 | 5 |
| 2025 | 25 | 18 | 49 |
| 2024 | 33 | 18 | 88 |
| 2023 | 27 | 17 | 112 |
| 2022 | 19 | 15 | 168 |
| 2021 | 36 | 24 | 490 |
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
224 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 168 days – 278 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 21 days (61 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 244 days
- Sample
- 61 articles with submission and acceptance dates (65 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
- Submission to first decision
- 11 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous 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 3,190 / EUR 2,590 / GBP 2,290 | — | — |
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
- ≤ 10,000 words
- Reference style
- APA
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted10, with length limits
- brief reportResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings. Note that we welcome empirical research regardless of whether it does or does not reject the nu…figures and tables ≤ 5
- editorialSingle-blind peer review This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. This journal also publishes special/guest-edited issues. The peer review proce…Length not stated
- hypothesisResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings. Note that we welcome empirical research regardless of whether it does or does not reject the nu…figures and tables ≤ 10
- hypothesis and theory articleHypothesis and Theory article: Articles that present a novel argument, interpretation or model intended to introduce a new testable hypothesis or theory or supp…Length not stated
- mini reviewResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings. Note that we welcome empirical research regardless of whether it does or does not reject the nu…figures and tables ≤ 5
- rapid communicationResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings. Note that we welcome empirical research regardless of whether it does or does not reject the nu…Length not stated
- registered reportThe review process for Registered Reports utilizes a two-stage process, which is different than for other paper types. In Stage 1, authors submit only an introd…Length not stated
- registered reportsRegistered Reports: The review process for Registered Reports utilizes a two-stage process, which is different than for other paper types. In Stage 1, authors s…Length not stated
- research articleResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings. Note that we welcome empirical research regardless of whether it does or does not reject the nu…Length not stated
- reviewResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings. Note that we welcome empirical research regardless of whether it does or does not reject the nu…figures and tables ≤ 15
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
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 ·- Conflicts of interest Competing Interests
Authors are requested to disclose interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Interests within the last 3 years of beginning the work (conducting the research and preparing the work for submission) should be reported. Interests outside the 3-year time frame must be disclosed if they could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work. Disclo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
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 Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Single-blind peer review
Single-blind reviewing procedure. Model summary
This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. This journal also publishes special/guest-edited issues. The peer review process for these articles is the same as the peer review process of the journal in general. Additionally, if a guest editor authors an article in their issue/collection, they will not handle the peer review process.
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 Nature
- ISSN
- 2509-3290
- Electronic ISSN
- 2509-3304
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 10, Issue 2 (June 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Cognitive Enhancement
What CAS zone is Journal of Cognitive Enhancement in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Cognitive Enhancement is in Zone 4 of Medicine, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Neurosciences. 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 Journal of Cognitive Enhancement?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 1.2 (2025); this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 3.3, h-index 41.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Cognitive Enhancement?
Based on the dates recorded on 61 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 224 days (interquartile range 168–278 days). 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 Journal of Cognitive Enhancement?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Manuscript length: ≤ 10,000 words; Reference style: APA; 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 Journal of Cognitive Enhancement based?
Of the 51 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (18), Italy (7) and Germany (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Cognitive Enhancement?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Cognitive Enhancement is indexed in ESCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists PsycINFO; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Journal of Cognitive Enhancement open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Cognitive Enhancement is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,190.
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 2026-08-24). Last updated: .