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Aims and scope

Molecular Brain is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that considers manuscripts on all aspects of studies on the nervous system at the molecular, cellular, and systems level providing a forum for scientists to communicate their findings.

Molecular brain research is a rapidly expanding research field in which integrative approaches at the genetic, molecular, cellular and synaptic levels yield key information about the physiological and pathological brain. These studies involve the use of a wide range of modern techniques in molecular biology, genomics, proteomics, imaging and electrophysiology.

Molecular Brain now accepting Nano Reviews

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Following on from recent popularity of the Micro Reports article type, we are delighted to announce the launch of a new format, the Nano Review.

Find out more about how these short articles will be putting forward the ‘big questions’ currently facing the neuroscience field.

Featured Image

green pyramidal cell image

Our current featured image is taken from a recent Molecular Brain short report, "The nuclear lamina is a hub for the nuclear function of Jacob"

Senior author Dr Anna Karpova from Leibniz-Institut für Neurobiologie says “This image shows binding of the synapto-nuclear protein messenger Jacob to the inner nuclear membrane protein LaminB1 revealed by proximity ligation assay (PLA) with Duolink FarRed signals (represented based on a RedHot look-up-table), which decorate the periphery of the DAPI-stained nucleus (blue) of a DIV17 hippocampal primary neuron. To our knowledge, this is the first time that PLA and STED imaging have been combined, allowing us to resolve multiple Jacob-LaminB1 complexes along the inner nuclear membrane."

We are delighted to showcase this image, alongside the full article, in Molecular Brain.

Currently accepting Micro Reports

New Content Item




A year on from the launch of our boundary-pushing article type, Micro Reports, we're pleased to present a summary of the most popular submissions so far.

Micro Reports are suitable for presenting small amounts of data or research that otherwise remain unpublished, including important negative results, reproductions, or exciting findings that you wish to place rapidly into the public domain. 

Find out more about how Micro Reports could be right for your research.

Articles

Announcing the launch of In Review

In partnership with Research SquareMolecular Brain is now offering In Review. Authors choosing this free optional service will be able to:

  • Share their work with fellow researchers to read, comment on, and cite even before publication
  • Showcase their work to funders and others with a citable DOI while it is still under review
  • Track their manuscript - including seeing when reviewers are invited, and when reports are received 

Read more about the full range of benefits of In Review and how to opt in, or see the In Review platform for yourself here.

Hebb 70 Series

Celebrating Donald O. Hebb's seminal work, The Organization of Behavior, the first articles in our new thematic series are now available.

Find out more and read the published articles here.

Article Collection - Molecules of Neural Disorders

In this series of reviews, we take a look at the molecular basis of neural disorders. The topics addressed include: iPSC technology for autism models, CaMKII dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease, migroglia in neuropathic pain, metabotropic glutamate receptors in schizophrenia, and cortical kinate receptors in anxiety. 

No major experimental revisions requested. We will not request major additional experiments during the peer-review process, as we believe that high-quality data should be published promptly without unnecessary delay.

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About the society

Molecular Brain is the official journal of the Association for the Study of Neurons and Diseases (AND). The AND is a not-for-profit organization for the study of mental health from a neurological perspective. The goal of AND is to enhance the quality and quantity of research and education as it pertains to the understanding and treatment of mental health issues.

Editors' quotes

“The brain is the most complex structure in the universe, yet it defines who we are. Molecular Brain is a fast, open access, online journal that publishes high quality papers and thus promotes communication among neuroscientists interested in revealing the mysteries of brain function at the molecular and cellular level."

Bong-Kiun Kaang, Editor-in-Chief, Molecular Brain

"One of the most significant driving forces in science is discovery in our daily research activity. At Molecular Brain, we believe the delay between the moment of discovery and publication should be as short as possible, but with high-quality and fair peer-review. By exploring and adopting new innovations and technology advances, I will strive to ensure Molecular Brain is the best place to publish your discovery in brain science. "

Tsuyoshi Miyakawa, Editor-in-Chief

As of June 2020, Molecular Brain is delighted to announce Professor Graham Collingridge as our new co-Editor-in-Chief. 


Graham has long been at the forefront of synaptic plasticity research, and will take on the responsibility of the journal's Reviews section, previously lead by Professor Tim Bliss.

Affiliated with

Annual Journal Metrics

  • 2022 Citation Impact
    3.6 - 2-year Impact Factor
    4.6 - 5-year Impact Factor
    0.901 - SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper)
    1.273 - SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

    2023 Speed
    13 days submission to first editorial decision for all manuscripts (Median)
    70 days submission to accept (Median)

    2023 Usage 
    958,127 downloads
    499 Altmetric mentions

Molecular Brain is a member of the Neuroscience Peer Review Consortium.

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