In today’s world, social media plays an important role in debating healthcare. One of the dominant platforms for this purpose is X (formerly Twitter), where people from all over the globe communicate and share information. In the case of neurology, that is, the health of nerves and brain—the health of the nervous system—the site #NeuroTwitter is used as a platform where doctors, scientists, and students share ideas and share information.
This study looked at how much #NeuroTwitter was used over the period of a year, June 2022 to June 2023. Using a special analysis tool called Fedica, scientists found that over 216,000 tweets were put out by more than 61,000 users—racking up 11 million+ views around the world! Most posts came from America, India, and the United Kingdom. Students and leading physicians shared their ideas.
Notably, activity on #NeuroTwitter also ramped up with major events like medical residency application or announcements, suggesting that social media activity is driven by actual-world academic milestones.
The tone of the overwhelming majority of posts was neutral, suggesting that the group is curious about professional-level discussion rather than debates or combative arguments. Most common hashtags co-occurring with #NeuroTwitter included #MedTwitter, #Neuroscience, and #Stroke—suggesting robust connections with education and medical research.
Additionally, one of the most widely read posts was artistic brain pictures that simplified complicated subjects, demonstrating that pictures are great educational tools.
This study is the first to thoroughly investigate #NeuroTwitter’s role in the dissemination of neurology content. It demonstrates how the online platform can connect experts from countries, ensure global learning, and spark global discussions regarding brain health. Researchers believe that #NeuroTwitter can unite the international neurology fraternity and strengthen information dissemination, particularly in an era where online learning is more significant than ever.
Full text: Ahmedyar Hasan, Maryam Asif, Awranoos Ahadi, Atanas G. Atanasov, Michel-Edwar Mickael, Michal Lawinski, Zara Arshad, Rahul Kashyap, Faisal Nawaz, #NeuroTwitter: A hashtag Analysis Study of Global Neurology Conversations on X. Cureus 17(5): e84691. doi:10.7759/cureus.84691