Mechanistic research on Ménière’s disease is expanding, but its intellectual structure and emerging molecular directions remain incompletely characterized. We conducted a bibliometric and science-mapping study of PubMed-indexed literature published from June 1, 2006, to June 1, 2026. A reproducible MeSH- and synonym-based query retrieved 1895 records, which were manually screened for Ménière-specific or directly relevant mechanistic content; 309publications were included in the main analysis. A secondary analysis evaluated 91 immune-inflammatory studies. Publication trends, contributors, sources, collaboration and citation networks, keyword evolution, and immune-inflammatory themes were examined. Annual output increased markedly in recent years, with China, Spain, and the United States contributing prominently. Otology & Neurotology was the most productive and locally influential journal, while endolymphatic hydrops, genetics, exome sequencing, magnetic resonance imaging, aldosterone, and inflammation were the leading filtered keywords. The focused analysis indicated a shift from broad autoimmune hypotheses toward cytokine-defined endotypes, innate immune signaling, and barrier dysfunction. Mechanistic research on Ménière’s disease is moving toward biologically stratified investigation; prospective studies integrating longitudinal phenotyping, inner-ear imaging, genetics, and single-cell or spatial multiomics may help translate candidate mechanisms into biomarkers and targeted interventions.
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