Research hotspots, context, and future directions of ulcerative colitis comorbid with depression from 2006 to 2025: a bibliometric and visualization analysis

Abstract

Background Depression is highly prevalent in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), affecting prognosis and patients’ quality of life. While related studies grow rapidly, a systematic review of the development trends in this field is still lacking. Based on this, the present study used bibliometric and visualization analysis methods to systematically examine the research landscape, hot topics, and future directions in the global field of UC comorbid with depression. Methods Relevant literature published between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2025 in the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) and Scopus databases was retrieved. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to analyze countries, journals, authors, references, and keywords, and co-occurrence network maps were generated. For complementary analysis, clinical trial articles published in PubMed over the same time period were retrieved. Results A total of 2,069 papers were included in the visualization analysis, with an additional 28 records identified through supplementary searching. In 2021, the number of publications increased significantly and has since remained at a relatively high level. International academic exchanges in UC comorbid with depression research are active, with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada being the core research forces in this field. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases is the most published and most representative professional journal. Bernstein, Charles N. and Mikocka-Walus, Antonina have published the highest number of studies, while Ananthakrishnan, Ashwin N. and Ford, Alexander C. have the highest academic influence. The co-citation network of references suggests that research in this field is based on backgrounds such as pain management, perceived stress, and psychiatry. Keyword analysis shows that core research hotspots focus on epidemiological studies, drug safety, and side effect management. Multidisciplinary combined treatment involving gastroenterology, psychiatry, and endocrinology is a frontier research direction. Conclusion External environmental stressors and intrinsic metabolic dysregulation are jointly reshaping the frontier landscape of this field. Beyond traditional epidemiological investigations, patient quality of life and drug safety have emerged as current research priorities. Future research should focus on generating a greater volume of clinical evidence and promoting multidisciplinary collaborative care, with the goal of improving patients’ quality of life and long-term prognosis.