Journal profile · Neurosciences
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
ISSN 1044-7431 · eISSN 1095-9327 · Academic Press Inc. · UNITED STATES · Monthly · Founded 1990
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience: CAS Zone 3 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.4; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,450; median 83 days to acceptance (85 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: moderate; 51 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience is published by Academic Press 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 Nerve injury and regeneration, together about 34.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience publishes original research of high significance covering all aspects of neurosciences indicated by the broadest interpretation of the journal's title. In particular, the journal focuses on synaptic maintenance, de- and re-organization, neuron-glia communication, and de-/regenerative neurobiology. In addition, studies using animal models of disease with translational prospects and experimental approaches with backward validation of disease signatures from human patients are welcome.The journal publishes Special Issues in which leading experts are invited to serve as Guest Editors to compile a collection of reviews, and occasionally original articles, around a particular topical theme in neuroscience research. The list of recent Special Issues can be found here. Suggestions for Special Issues can be made directly to the Editor-in-Chief.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Neurosciences
Editor-in-chief Bonnie FiresteinPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 2 in mainland China (about 4%); most named United States 17, United Kingdom 6, Sweden 6, Japan 3, France 3 (53 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeuroscience12.9%
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsNeuroscience12.8%
- Nerve injury and regenerationNeuroscience9.1%
- Axon Guidance and Neuronal SignalingNeuroscience7.6%
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNeuroscience4.9%
- Ion channel regulation and functionBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.5%
- Cellular transport and secretionBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.1%
- Receptor Mechanisms and SignalingBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.1%
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 | 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)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | 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
- 3.4LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5.5LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 5.5Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.12LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.67LetPub ·
- h-index
- 127LetPub ·
- h-index
- 174OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,073OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.31OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 26.32%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 45LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 3,868 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 38 | 10 | 16 |
| 2025 | 51 | 15 | 192 |
| 2024 | 45 | 20 | 369 |
| 2023 | 73 | 51 | 814 |
| 2022 | 74 | 34 | 815 |
| 2021 | 55 | 24 | 916 |
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
83 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 60 days – 118 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 5 days (85 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 88 days
- Sample
- 85 articles with submission and acceptance dates (97 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)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- ModerateLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 44 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 98 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 7 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 3,450 / EUR 3,230 / GBP 2,760 / JPY 427,900 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,680 | — | — |
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)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Vancouver
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, 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
Authorship criteria Model summary
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 ·- Publication ethics
Publishing ethics Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
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
Single anonymized review process Model summary
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 sharing allowed Model summary
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
- Academic Press Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1990
- ISSN
- 1044-7431
- Electronic ISSN
- 1095-9327
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
What CAS zone is Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience is in Zone 3 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 Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.4; CiteScore 5.5, h-index 174.
How long does peer review take at Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience?
Based on the dates recorded on 85 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 83 days (interquartile range 60–118 days); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Moderate”. 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 Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Vancouver; 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 Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience based?
Of the 53 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 2 (about 4%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (17), United Kingdom (6) and Sweden (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience open access, and what is the APC?
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,450.
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: .