Journal profile · Neurosciences
Molecular Neurobiology
ISSN 0893-7648 · eISSN 1559-1182 · Springer US · UNITED STATES · Bimonthly · Founded 1987
Molecular Neurobiology: CAS Zone 2 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 5.42; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,590; median 156 days to acceptance (146 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: moderate; 938 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Molecular Neurobiology is published by Springer US 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 Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms, Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research and Alzheimer's disease research and treatments, together about 32.7% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Molecular Neurobiology is an exciting journal for neuroscientists needing to stay in close touch with progress at the forefront of molecular brain research today. It is an especially important periodical for graduate students and "postdocs," specifically designed to synthesize and critically assess research trends for all neuroscientists hoping to stay active at the cutting edge of this dramatically developing area. This journal has proven to be crucial in departmental libraries, serving as essential reading for every committed neuroscientist who is striving to keep abreast of all rapid developments in a forefront field. Most recent significant advances in experimental and clinical neuroscience have been occurring at the molecular level. Until now, there has been no journal devoted to looking closely at this fragmented literature in a critical, coherent fashion. Each submission is thoroughly analyzed by scientists and clinicians internationally renowned for their special competence in the areas treated.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Neurosciences
Editor-in-chief Benedict C. AlbensiPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 5 in mainland China (about 9%); most named United States 26, Mainland China 5, Italy 4, Sweden 3, Japan 2 (53 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNeuroscience12.7%
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchNeuroscience10%
- Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsMedicine10%
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsNeuroscience6.4%
- Tryptophan and brain disordersNeuroscience5.2%
- Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsMedicine5%
- Nerve injury and regenerationNeuroscience4.9%
- Mitochondrial Function and PathologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology4.5%
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: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Neurosciences | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview 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: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
MEDLINEEmbaseCASPublisher 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
- 5.42LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 5.5Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 5.5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 8.3LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.55LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.11LetPub ·
- h-index
- 96LetPub ·
- h-index
- 178OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 5,852OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 5.49OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 3.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 25.02%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 907LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 3,900,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 8,804 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 599 | 200 | 377 |
| 2025 | 938 | 309 | 3,981 |
| 2024 | 788 | 235 | 8,395 |
| 2023 | 707 | 207 | 11,012 |
| 2022 | 527 | 199 | 11,909 |
| 2021 | 421 | 168 | 12,654 |
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
156 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 108 days – 230 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 13 days (146 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 171 days
- Sample
- 146 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,702 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)
- ModerateLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 16 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 4,590 / EUR 3,590 / GBP 2,890 | — | — |
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)
- Colour charges
- Charged; see the journal's website for the amount
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 prepare8 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Templates
- LaTeX and Word
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Optional
Article types accepted6
- brief reportOriginal Research: Full−length reports containing complete details of methods and procedures. Review: Solicited or unsolicited articles which present either an …Length not stated
- commentComment: An agenda setting, authoritative informed, and sometimes provocative expert piece on topical issues relevant to the journal’s readership.Length not stated
- editorialOriginal Research: Full−length reports containing complete details of methods and procedures. Review: Solicited or unsolicited articles which present either an …Length not stated
- literature reviewOriginal Research: Full−length reports containing complete details of methods and procedures. Review: Solicited or unsolicited articles which present either an …Length not stated
- original researchOriginal Research: Full−length reports containing complete details of methods and procedures. Review: Solicited or unsolicited articles which present either an …Length not stated
- reviewOriginal Research: Full−length reports containing complete details of methods and procedures. Review: Solicited or unsolicited articles which present either an …Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, 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 ·- Authorship Authorship principles
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
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
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
ORCID required for corresponding author at submission. Model summary
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Molecular Neurobiology, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
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 US
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 1987
- ISSN
- 0893-7648
- Electronic ISSN
- 1559-1182
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Molecular Neurobiology
What CAS zone is Molecular Neurobiology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Molecular 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 Molecular Neurobiology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.42; CiteScore 8.3, h-index 178.
How long does peer review take at Molecular Neurobiology?
Based on the dates recorded on 146 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 156 days (interquartile range 108–230 days); authors report an average review time of 4–8 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 Neurobiology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Templates: LaTeX and Word; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Optional; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: 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 Neurobiology based?
Of the 53 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 5 (about 9%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (26), Mainland China (5) and Italy (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Molecular Neurobiology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Molecular Neurobiology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists MEDLINE, Embase and CAS; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Molecular Neurobiology open access, and what is the APC?
Molecular Neurobiology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,590.
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: .