Research on mitophagy in relation to neurodegenerative diseases has seen exponential growth over the past 20 years, with the highest publication productivity in 2021. An analysis of 2,566 publications showed that the United States, Great Britain, and China are leading this research, with Tavernarakis and Reddy as the most influential scientists. Key topics include Parkinson's disease, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and mechanisms of mitochondrial fission and fusion. Research has evolved from basic studies through the mechanisms of mitophagy to translational applications. New trends include the study of post-translational modifications, chaperone-mediated autophagy, the influence of gut microbiota, and mitochondrial quality control. Therapeutic directions focus on modulators of mitochondrial quality and compounds such as curcumin and melatonin that may affect mitophagy dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders. This scientometric analysis provides a framework for the further development of treatment strategies in this area.