Abstract: Objective To explore the developments and research hotspots in the field of cerebral ischemia mechanisms in China over the past two decades in order to provide references for future research. Methods Domestic literature related to cerebral ischemia mechanisms published by China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) between January 1, 2000 and June 1, 2023 was retrieved while other literature on cerebral ischemia mechanisms related to autophagy and angiogenesis was analyzed. Results A total of 3 346 articles were included. The annual number of publications trended upward. The network diagram of institutional cooperation involved 654 institutions, most of which were traditional Chinese medicine universities or research institutes. Research related to the mechanism of cerebral ischemia revolved around such mechanisms as apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy and angiogenesis. The targets of study included the blood-brain barrier, hippocampus, mitochondria, and neurons while research methods involved acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Conclusion The research on the mechanism of cerebral ischemia in China has made steady progress in the past 20 years, and most of the research focuses on traditional Chinese medicine. The next step should be clinical and evidence-based analysis of superior traditional Chinese medicine drugs for the treatment of cerebral ischemia, and identify superior prescriptions and classic drugs so as to provide references for research on the treatment of cerebral ischemia by traditional Chinese medicine.

Key words: Cerebral Ischemia, Mechanism, Autophagy, Angiogenesis, Apoptosis, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Traditional Chinese Medicine