Research Progress on Microglial Pyroptosis and Inflammasomes: A Comprehensive Analysis

Xiaofang Wang¹Zhenyu Li²Bingxiang Ma^3,4*Qianfang Jia^5,6,7

• ¹Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
• ²School of Medical Engineering,Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
• ³Children's Brain Disease Diagnosis, Treatment and Rehabilitation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
• ⁴School of Pediatric Medicine, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
• ⁵Department of Children Rehabilitation, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
• ⁶Xinxiang Key Laboratory of Autism Disease Mechanism Research, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
• ⁷Xinxiang Autism Integration Education Engineering and Technology Research Center, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China

Background: Microglial pyroptosis and inflammasome activation play critical roles in neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). In recent years, substantial attention has been directed toward elucidating their underlying mechanisms, diagnostic approaches, and prognostic implications. This study aimed to analyze the current research landscape, hotspots, and trends in this field. Methods: Articles published over the past decade on microglial pyroptosis and inflammasomes were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. A comprehensive analysis was conducted, and high-impact articles were examined in depth.Results: A total of 958 articles were included. Among these, 664 originated from China, which also had the highest H-index (68), followed by 147 articles from the United States, with an H-index of 48 and the highest centrality (0.68). Southern Medical University (China) was the leading institution in terms of articles (47) and achieved the highest H-index (19). Journal of Neuroinflammation published the most articles (59) in this field. High-impact studies predominantly focused on the roles of microglial pyroptosis and inflammasomes in neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammation and therapeutic intervention strategies. Keywords such as "depression," "cell death," "recovery," and "pathogenesis" emerged as research hotspots over the past three years.Conclusion: Microglial pyroptosis and inflammasome activation have become research hotspots in neurodegenerative disease, with China and the United States leading in article output and research influence in this field. Southern Medical University (China) is the most influential institution, and the Journal of Neuroinflammation is the most prolific journal. Current research hotspots emphasize elucidating the pathological mechanisms of microglial pyroptosis and inflammasome activation in neurodegenerative diseases, especially in AD, PD, and MS, and exploring potential therapeutic strategies such as MCC950, quercetin, MicroRNA-7, and melatonin. Future studies are expected to focus on mechanism elucidation, disease specificity, dynamic regulation, targeted interventions, and clinical translation to enhance treatment outcomes and prognosis for neurological disorders.