Bibliometric analysis mapping global research on frailty in Parkinson's disease, showing rapid growth and shifting focus toward clinical management, rehabilitation, and emerging mechanistic interest in gait and the brain–gut axis.

Although not experimental, the paper identifies emerging mechanistic (brain–gut) and clinical (rehabilitation, early detection) priorities that can help prioritize translational research and inform therapeutic target selection for PD-related frailty.

BACKGROUND: Frailty represents a prevalent comorbidity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and poses an escalating global health challenge, particularly amid rapidly aging populations. Despite the increasing recognition of frailty in PD, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the research landscape remains absent. This study aims to systematically evaluate the current research status on frailty in PD and uncover emerging trends and focal points through bibliometric methods. METHODS: On September 22, 2025, a comprehensive literature retrieval on frailty in PD, dating from January 1, 2004, was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and Scopus databases. Bibliometric analyses were performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer, while R software was used for additional visualization and analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2,391 publications on frailty in PD were identified, authored by 7,379 researchers from 1,789 institutions across 72 countries. Publication output exhibited a strong upward trend over the past two decades (R 2 = 0.90), with projections indicating continued growth. Early research focused on foundational biomedical and psychosocial domains, while current studies have shifted toward applied clinical and interdisciplinary areas. Key research domains include rehabilitation medicine, clinical neurology, and neuroscience. Current research hotspots center on frailty prevention, early detection, and therapeutic interventions. Additionally, emerging keywords highlight "gait," "rehabilitation," and the "Brain-Gut Axis" as focal points in the study of frailty in PD. CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of research progress in PD-related frailty, highlighting key themes and future directions. The field increasingly focuses on early diagnosis, rehabilitation, and mechanistic studies, particularly the Brain-Gut Axis's role in frailty development. These insights offer valuable insights to guide future research, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and inform strategies for improving patient care and disease management.