Mind Over Water: a Bibliometric Exploration of Drinking Water Hydration, Cognitive Function and Mental Health
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Background/Aims: Drinking water is essential for maintaining optimal physiological and neurocognitive function, yet its independent role in supporting cognitive health is often overlooked. This study aims to identify influential publications, thematic trends, and underexplored areas, particularly interventions, biomarker use, and potential outcomes of drinking water hydration, which might be developed into guidelines for neuropsychiatric and general populations. Materials: A bibliometric analysis was conducted using Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection databases to identify studies on drinking water hydration, cognition, and mental disorders published between January 1, 2005, and April 26, 2025. Peer-reviewed, English-language studies were included, and non-human animal studies were excluded. Metadata were extracted and analysed using Rayyan for screening and the Bibliometrix R package for bibliometric analysis. Four blinded reviewers applied inclusion/exclusion criteria, resolving disputes through discussion. Thematic trends and gaps were identified by analysing publications, influential works, and emerging themes using Bibliometrix via Biblioshiny through keyword co-occurrence, word cloud analysis, and thematic mapping. Trends were defined as frequent and central themes, while gaps reflected low-frequency and low-density topics, especially those in the emerging/declining quadrant, relative to established research priorities. Results: 14 studies examining the association between drinking water exposure and cognition and mental health outcomes were analysed. In terms of trends, research has primarily focused on the neurocognitive effects of water contaminants, with limited but growing attention to hydration and cognition. A critical gap is the absence of longitudinal, biomarker-informed studies directly linking hydration status to specific mental health outcomes. This gap limits causal inference and intervention development, as thematic and bibliometric analyses reveal fragmented research efforts and a declining trend in scholarly engagement within this interdisciplinary field. Conclusions: Future research should prioritise targeted studies and standardised biomarkers to understand hypothesized links better and inform evidence-based hydration guidelines. Specific recommendations regarding water intake for cognitive or mental health benefits are not available and deserve attention.
DOI: 10.33594/000000845
Language: English
Topic: Nutritional Studies and Diet
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7125429640
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