BergenBrain

02/10/2026

Great news for epilepsy research at BergenBrain!

Two BergenBrain projects have been awarded funding from Stiftelsen Dam through its 2026 research programme, in collaboration with Epilepsiforbundet (the Norwegian Epilepsy Association):

* Safer treatment during pregnancy for women who need antiseizure medications
Led by Marte-Helene Bjørk, this project focuses on an important question for women and their families: how to ensure safe treatment when antiseizure medications are needed during pregnancy.

* Better diagnosis and care after a first epileptic seizure using artificial intelligence
Led by Jan Christian Brøgger, this project aims to improve diagnosis and care after a first epileptic seizure with the help of AI.

Congratulations to both project teams! We thank Stiftelsen Dam and Epilepsiforbundet for supporting research that addresses important needs in epilepsy care. 💜

Read more about the projects:
https://www.dam.no/prosjekter/trygg-behandling-for-gravide-som-trenger-anfallsforebyggende-legemidler/

https://www.dam.no/prosjekter/bedre-diagnostikk-og-omsorg-etter-forste-epileptiske-anfall-med-ki/

16/09/2026

For første gang i historien har sykdomsbyrden til hjernesykdommer blitt kartlagt på nasjonalt nivå.

Den viser at 27 prosent av sykdomsbyrden skyldes disse sykdommene. 🧠

Sykdomsbyrde er et mål forskerne bruker for å si hvor mye sykdom påvirker liv og helse, enten ved at mennesker dør tidligere enn forventet eller ved at de lever lenge med sykdom og helseplager.

I kartleggingen inngår sykdommer som Alzheimers sykdom og andre demenslidelser, hjerneslag, hodepinesykdommer og psykiatriske lidelser både hos barn og voksne.

– God hjernehelse må være et mål for alt helsearbeid. Hjernen er det som gjør oss til mennesker. Det å se hjernens sykdommer under ett vil ha stor betydning for forskning, forebygging og behandling, sier sisteforfatter og professor emeritus ved UiB, Nils Erik Gilhus

Norge er det første landet i verden som gjør en slik kartlegging, og funnene har blitt publisert i det anerkjente tidsskriftet medisinske tidsskriftet The Lancet Regional Health Europe.

Les hele saken på våre nettsider.

Haukeland universitetssjukehus NTNU medisin og helse NorHead - Norsk senter for hodepineforskning Folkehelseinstituttet

10/09/2026

New study maps population-based Myasthenia Gravis (MG) medication patterns in pregnancy, identifying distinct treatment trajectories that may help predict disease course and guide care.

MG treatment in pregnancy needs to balance maternal disease control and fetal safety. A better understanding of how medication use changes across different groups of pregnant women with MG could support more individualized care pathways. This study examined MG medication use before, during, and after pregnancy, identifying four distinct medication use trajectories that likely reflect different MG phenotypes. Use of non-steroidal immunosuppressive therapies often declined after conception, highlighting the importance of discussing reproductive plans proactively and preemptively.

Link to article: https://rdcu.be/jUTygwe1hBQa

25/08/2026

Interview with BergenBrain member Mahendran Jayaraman at EAN 2026!

In the interview, Mahendran discusses findings from a target trial emulation comparing erenumab and onabotulinumtoxinA for migraine prevention.

The study found that erenumab outperformed onabotulinumtoxinA across the investigated outcomes, including reduced triptan use and a ≥50% reduction in monthly migraine days.

Congratulations to Mahendran and the research team on this important contribution to migraine research!

Link to the interview in the comments.

13/07/2026

We are proud to announce that Mahendran Jayaraman has successfully passed the European Board Examination in Neurology and has been awarded the title of Fellow of the European Board of Neurology (FEBN).

The FEBN examination is a European board-level assessment in neurology organised by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) and the European Board of Neurology. It is designed to assess neurological knowledge and clinical competence in accordance with European standards for specialist practice in neurology.

The assessment consists of a comprehensive written examination covering the broad spectrum of clinical neurology, followed by an oral examination evaluating clinical reasoning, decision-making, communication skills and ethical aspects of neurological practice. Preparation requires an extensive review of European neurological guidelines and evidence-based clinical practice across multiple neurological subspecialties.

Achieving the FEBN title is an important professional milestone and reflects a high level of knowledge, clinical competence and commitment to excellence in neurology within a European framework.

Congratulations, Mahendran, on this outstanding achievement!

22/06/2026

Bergensavisen forteller Kristin Helland om sin kroniske klasehodepine i forbindelse med en ny studie fra BergenBrain og NorHead ved Universitetet i Bergen. Studien viser at antallet som diagnostiseres med klasehodepine har økt over tid, særlig blant kvinner. Dette er viktig fordi klasehodepine typisk har blitt ansett som en mannsdominert sykdom, mens disse funnene viser lik forekomst blant menn og kvinner på slutten av sykehusperioden.

Flere får diagnosen klasehodepine i Norge. En ny NorHead-studie publisert i Neurology viser at i 2022 var det rundt 2000 personer som hadde fått diagnosen - nesten dobbelt så mange som i 2009.

Klasehodepine har tradisjonelt vært sett på som en sykdom som typisk rammer menn. Den nye studien tyder på at dette bildet er i endring.

📊 Viktige funn fra studien:
▪️Forekomsten økte fra 27 til 42 tilfeller per 100 000 innbyggere fra 2009–2022
▪️Antall kvinner med diagnosen er doblet i perioden
▪️I 2022 var det litt flere kvinner enn menn med klasehodepine

Forskerne tror ikke nødvendigvis at flere faktisk utvikler sykdommen, men at:

🔹Bevisstheten om klasehodepine øker
🔹Diagnostikken blir bedre
🔹Kjønnsbaserte diagnostiske stereotypier blir mindre

Disse funnene er viktige fordi mange kvinner kan ha gått lenge med feil diagnose, og dermed feil behandling, forklarte studiens førsteforfatter Einar Naveen Møen, i Bergensavisen - BA i helgen. Møen er forskerlinjestudent ved Det medisinske fakultet, UiB, tilknyttet NorHead.

Lenker til publikasjonen og nyhetssaken i BA (for abonnenter) finner du i kommentarfeltet nedenfor.

Saken er illustrert med faksimile fra BA.

03/06/2026

Kan legemiddelmyndighetene reagerer for raskt? I 2024 kom nye europeiske restriksjoner for menn som bruker valproat. Bakgrunnen var en studie som antydet økt risiko for nevroutviklingsforstyrrelser hos barna deres. Siden den gang har flere uavhengige analyser fra Norge, Sverige, Danmark og Taiwan ikke kunnet bekrefte funnet.

I en ny kronikk i Tidsskriftet diskuterer Marte Helene Bjorkhvordan valproatsaken illustrerer den vanskelige balansen mellom føre-var-prinsippet og krav til vitenskapelig dokumentasjon.

Les mer:
https://tidsskriftet.no/2026/05/kronikk/valproat-og-menn-regulering-foran-evidens
Haukeland universitetssjukehus Universitetet i Bergen Norsk nevrologisk forening Epilepsiforbundet

26.05.2026: Kronikk - Legemiddelmyndighetene har strammet inn bruken av valproat hos menn på grunn av bekymring for nevroutviklingsforstyrrelser hos barna deres.

22/05/2026

New publication from members of BergenBrain!

Several BergenBrain researchers have contributed to the article “Needs-based epilepsy follow-up: seizure control, treatment adherence and patient care.”

The study explores long-term outcomes of needs-based epilepsy follow-up, where patients report symptoms and treatment-related information remotely through patient-reported outcome measures, which are then reviewed by clinicians to support individualized care.

The results showed that seizure control, treatment adherence, and patients’ sense of safety remained stable over time, with follow-up lasting up to three years. Patients continued to report feeling safe and well cared for throughout the follow-up period.

These findings suggest that needs-based follow-up may be a safe and effective alternative to standard epilepsy care, while further research is needed on resource use and cost-effectiveness.

Congratulations to all authors involved!

Read the article via the link in the comment section.

09/04/2026

We are proud to share that a paper by a member of Bergen Brain, Nils Erik Gilhus, has been recognized as one of the top 10 most-cited papers for 2025 in the European Journal of Neurology!

The paper, “Generalized myasthenia gravis with acetylcholine receptor antibodies: A guidance for treatment”, has received this distinction from Wiley and the journal on behalf of the European Academy of Neurology.

Congratulations to all authors on this well-deserved recognition. We are delighted to see important clinical research from our network making such a strong impact in the field!

30/03/2026

New research suggests that topiramate may be a safer alternative than valproate for treating epilepsy during pregnancy, including with regard to the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in the child.

At the same time, a new systematic literature review highlights the need for larger and more robust studies. In particular, comparisons with other antiseizure medications such as lamotrigine are needed, as well as study designs that account for shared genetic factors – for example sibling-control or genetic analyses.

Link in the comment section