Özlem ÖNDER
Cyprus Journal of Medical Sciences - 2026;11(4):282-289
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Time perception is a core cognitive function that relies on distributed neurocognitive systems and may be sensitive to early changes across the cognitive aging continuum, including subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Despite growing interest, the knowledge structure and thematic organization of research linking time perception to age-related cognitive vulnerability have not been quantitatively mapped. This study aimed to characterize publication trends, disciplinary distribution, geographic contributions, and conceptual themes in the literature on time perception in cognitive aging, SCD, and MCI using bibliometric methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection. A targeted query combined time-perception constructs in the title field with constructs related to aging, SCD, MCI, and dementia in the topic field. Records were exported in plain-text format and descriptively analyzed with respect to annual production, document types, countries, institutions, and research areas. The thematic structure of the field was examined using a frequency-based analysis of title-derived terms. RESULTS: The final dataset included 64 records published between 1984 and 2025. Publication output remained limited until the mid-2000s and then expanded markedly after 2015, with peak activity concentrated in the last decade. Research output showed a geographically uneven distribution, led by the United States (n=17), France (n=10), China (n=7), Italy (n=6), and Canada and the Netherlands (n=5 each). Research areas were highly interdisciplinary, with the highest representation in neurosciences/neurology and psychology (n=25 each), followed by geriatrics/gerontology (n=11) and psychiatry (n=8). Frequency-based analysis of title-derived terms showed that the literature is centered on core timing concepts, such as time perception and time estimation, with additional emphasis on Alzheimer's disease, memory, and age-related constructs. CONCLUSION: Research on time perception in cognitive aging and early cognitive decline has expanded rapidly over the last decade and is primarily anchored in neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. Thematic mapping suggests that timing paradigms form the conceptual core of the field, whereas clinically framed work on early cognitive decline remains comparatively limited. These findings highlight the need for further methodologically standardized and empirically oriented research in preclinical and prodromal cognitive states.
