Journal profile · Zoology
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
ISSN 0021-9967 · eISSN 1096-9861 · Wiley-Liss Inc. · UNITED STATES · Weekly · Founded 1911
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.24; hybrid open access; APC about USD 5,450; median 163 days to acceptance (87 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: hard; 127 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY is published by Wiley-Liss Inc. 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 Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research, Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms and Retinal Development and Disorders, together about 30.2% of its articles. Its main subfields are Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Established in 1891, JCN is the oldest continually published basic neuroscience journal. Historically, as the name suggests, the journal focused on a comparison among species to uncover the intricacies of how the brain functions. In modern times, this research is called systems neuroscience where animal models are used to mimic core cognitive processes with the ultimate goal of understanding neural circuits and connections that give rise to behavioral patterns and different neural states. Research published in JCN covers all species from invertebrates to humans, and the reports inform the readers about the function and organization of nervous systems in species with an emphasis on the way that species adaptations inform about the function or organization of the nervous systems, rather than on their evolution per se. JCN publishes primary research articles and critical commentaries and review-type articles offering expert insight in to cutting edge research in the field of systems neuroscience; a complete list of contribution types is given in the Author Guidelines. For primary research contributions, only full-length investigative reports are desired; the journal does not accept short communications.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Zoology
Editor-in-chief Suzana Herculano-HouzelPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 5%); most named United States 25, Australia 4, Germany 3, Mainland China 2, Italy 2 (44 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeuroscience15%
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsNeuroscience7.8%
- Retinal Development and DisordersBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology7.4%
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology ResearchNeuroscience6.4%
- Neural dynamics and brain functionNeuroscience4.7%
- Neurological diseases and metabolismNeuroscience4.4%
- Neuropeptides and Animal PhysiologyNeuroscience4.2%
- Vestibular and auditory disordersNeuroscience3.9%
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 | Zoology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Zoology | Zone 2 |
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 | Zoology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of ScienceMEDLINEPubMedEmbaseCASCAB AbstractsCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: ProQuest
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
- 2.24LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.3Publisher website ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.3LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 4.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 4.3Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.99LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.75LetPub ·
- h-index
- 194LetPub ·
- h-index
- 433OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 18,302OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.04OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 56.01%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 92LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher) 2025
- 95Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 704,842Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 25,663 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 91 | 59 | 21 |
| 2025 | 127 | 96 | 143 |
| 2024 | 134 | 108 | 554 |
| 2023 | 143 | 109 | 920 |
| 2022 | 168 | 86 | 1,333 |
| 2021 | 196 | 103 | 2,060 |
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
163 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 113 days – 212 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 19 days (87 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 178 days
- Sample
- 87 articles with submission and acceptance dates (216 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)
- 3–6 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- HardLetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 40%Publisher website ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher) 2025
- 40%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 18 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to first decision 2025
- 18 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance 2025
- 178 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication 2025
- 20 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 5,450 / EUR 4,770 / GBP 4,080 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- 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
- Reference style
- APA
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
Article types accepted8, with length limits
- commentaryJCN publishes the following contribution types: · Commentary · Review · Research Article · Toolbox Commentary Articles Commentaries provide focused viewpoints f…main text ≤ 1,500 words
- opinionJCN publishes the following contribution types: · Commentary · Review · Research Article · Toolbox Commentary Articles Commentaries provide focused viewpoints f…Length not stated
- perspectiveJCN publishes the following contribution types: · Commentary · Review · Research Article · Toolbox Commentary Articles Commentaries provide focused viewpoints f…Length not stated
- research articleJCN publishes the following contribution types: · Commentary · Review · Research Article · Toolbox Commentary Articles Commentaries provide focused viewpoints f…Length not stated
- reviewJCN publishes the following contribution types: · Commentary · Review · Research Article · Toolbox Commentary Articles Commentaries provide focused viewpoints f…main text ≤ 3,000 words
- review articleJCN publishes the following contribution types: · Commentary · Review · Research Article · Toolbox Commentary Articles Commentaries provide focused viewpoints f…Length not stated
- toolboxJCN publishes the following contribution types: · Commentary · Review · Research Article · ToolboxLength not stated
- viewpointJCN publishes the following contribution types: · Commentary · Review · Research Article · Toolbox Commentary Articles Commentaries provide focused viewpoints f…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAuthorship, Data availability, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- Authorship Authorship
Free format submission Model summary
All listed authors should have contributed to the manuscript substantially and have agreed to the final submitted version. Review editorial standards and scroll down for a description of authorship criteria.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data Sharing and Data Availability
Data sharing expected and peer reviewed Model summary
This journal expects and peer reviews data sharing. Review Wiley’s Data Sharing policy where you will be able to see and select the data availability statement that is right for your submission.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Reproduction of Copyright Material
If excerpts from copyrighted works owned by third parties are included, credit must be shown in the contribution. It is your responsibility to also obtain written permission for reproduction from the copyright owners. For more information visit Wiley’s Copyright Terms & Conditions FAQ.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open Access
This journal is a Subscription journal that offers an open access option. You’ll have the option to choose to make your article open access after acceptance, which will be subject to an APC, unless a waiver applies. Read more about APCs here.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review 1. Submission and Peer Review Process
Single-blind peer review model Model summary
Once the submission materials have been prepared in accordance with the Author Guidelines, manuscripts should be submitted online at https://authors.wiley.com/journal/CNE. For help with submissions, please contact: jcnoffice@wiley.com This journal does not charge submission fees. Article Preparation Support Wiley Editing Services offers expert help with English Language Editing, as well as transla…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints
Preprint servers accepted Model summary
This journal accepts articles previously published on preprint servers.
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
- Wiley-Liss Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Weekly
- Founded
- 1911
- ISSN
- 0021-9967
- Electronic ISSN
- 1096-9861
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 534, Issue 9 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
What CAS zone is JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY is in Zone 3 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Zoology / 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 JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.24; CiteScore 4.3, h-index 433.
How long does peer review take at JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY?
Based on the dates recorded on 87 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 163 days (interquartile range 113–212 days); authors report an average review time of 3–6 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Hard”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 40% (2025). 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 COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Reference style: APA; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required. 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 COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY based?
Of the 44 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 5%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (25), Australia (4) and Germany (3). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CAS, CAB Abstracts and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY open access, and what is the APC?
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 5,450.
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: .