UTILITY OF BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS FOR RESEARCH POLICY - A CASE-STUDY OF SPANISH RESEARCH IN NEUROSCIENCE

A bibliometric analysis of the Spanish publications devoted to the nervous system, as covered by the database BIOSIS Previews during the years 1983-1986, has been performed. An attempt has been made to obtain bibliometric indicators that enlighten the peculiar features of this research subfield in Spain, and that are able to be used for science policy decisions. From a managerial point of view the main issues approached have shown the differences entangled with a narrow or a broad subfield definition; the uneven research effort distribution inside the country with a sharp contrast among the few active regions and a lack of research in others; the identification of the institutions in which this research is performed, their productivity, dynamics and visibility at international level; and the broad scattering of research teams working in a variety of laboratories inside the institutions. The study concludes that any funding policy aimed at promoting the development of neuroscience has to choose between "centres of excellence" and multiple research points more homogeneously distributed around the country. In any case, a science policy coordinated at different administrative and institutional levels would be desirable to attain the regular development of research lines, thus avoiding disperse and isolated research efforts. © 1990.