BergenBrain

04/12/2025

In 2024, the European Medicines Agency introduced Europe-wide restrictions on the use of valproate in men, based on safety data indicating an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children whose fathers had used valproate during the 3-month spermatogenic window before conception.

The findings have been controversial and widely debated, but the safety study underlying these regulatory decisions has now finally been published – with co-authorship from Marte Helene Bjork of BergenBrain . Link to open access paper in the first comment

EpilepsiNett ILAE - International League Against Epilepsy Epilepsiforbundet Spesialsykehuset for epilepsi, SSE Universitetet i Bergen Haukeland universitetssjukehus

30/11/2025

We are thrilled to share some fantastic news from Bergen Brain!

All of our submitted applications to the Helse Vest research funding call for 2026 have been approved!!

A warm congratulations to all our successful applicants:

- Anne Mari Dalgeir – PhD Fellowship
“Headache in Youth: Burden, Prevention and Consequences for Early Adulthood.”

- Frederik Kragerud Goplen – Open Project Support
“Vestibular Migraine – Randomised Trial on the Effect of CGRP Inhibitors.”

- Marte-Helene Bjørk – International Research Fellowship (12 months)
“HEADLIGHT: AI-Enhanced Discovery of Novel and Safer Headache Treatments from Population-Wide Data in Norway and Catalonia.”

- Eivind Kolstad – Clinical Research Grant (20% position)
“Epilepsy and its Association with Anti-GAD65: Insights from Norway.”

We are incredibly proud of this achievement and grateful for the support from Helse Vest!

Congratulations to all awardees!

19/11/2025

I anledning har professor Anne Hege Aamodt ved Oslo universitetssykehus og NorHead gjestet God morgen Norge, TV 2! I gårsdagens sending snakket hun om migrene, hodepine og forskning på nye behandlingsmetoder, som:

✅ - en behandlingsstudie kronisk migrene, som er et samarbeid mellom behandlingssteder i hele landet 🏥

✅Hjemmebasert for migrene 🧠📱

Se TV2-sendingen fra 18. november her (for abonnenter):
📺https://play.tv2.no/nyheter/god-morgen-norge

🔗 Les mer om NorMig-studien og meld din interesse: https://www.oslo-universitetssykehus.no/kliniske-studier/behandlingsstudie-for-deg-med-kronisk-migrene-med-mal-om-forbedre-behandlingen/

Les mer om Hjerneuka2025:
🔗 https://www.oslo-universitetssykehus.no/om-oss/innsikt/hjerneslag-i-endring---ous-samler-forskere-fagfolk-og-brukere-under-hjerneuken-2025/

07/11/2025

Together with Neurogenetics Research Group, our collaborators in in the TeraEpi project, we examined neurodevelopment in children whose fathers used valproate before conception. Recently, such use has been restricted by drug authorities due to concerns that it might increase the risk of conditions such as autism or intellectual disability. Our findings – published today in Scientific Reports (Nature) – show that the observed association between paternal valproate use and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children can largely be explained by shared genetic susceptibility, rather than by the medication exposure itself.
This underscores the importance of considering genetic factors when evaluating potential drug effects across generations.

👉 Link to the paper in the first comment!

Kaja Selmer Kristina Gervin Universitetet i Bergen Haukeland universitetssjukehus EpilepsiNett ILAE - International League Against Epilepsy Epilepsiforbundet

27/10/2025

What is the evidence of whole-body resistance exercise on primary headaches?

Primary headaches, such as migraine, tension-type headache, and cluster headache, have debilitating consequences for the affected individual. Pharmacological treatment is often limited by side effects or lack of efficacy.

Whole-body resistance exercise is a training method that enhances strength and muscle hypertrophy, and has gained increasing popularity. We conducted a scoping review and exploratory meta-analysis to summarize the available evidence base and potential efficacy of whole-body resistance exercise on primary headaches.

Only two randomized controlled trials on migraine were identified, demonstrating large evidence gaps. No evidence was found for tension-type headache or cluster headache. Our exploratory analysis suggested benefits in people with migraine.

Read this fascinating article by our BergenBrain member Einar Møen!

Link to the article in the comment section!

05/10/2025

New study of Myasthenia Gravis Deliveries in Norway

Elective C-section is increased in patients with (MG) although emergency C-section is not. Also, other adverse delivery outcomes were similar to the general population in this Norwegian national cohort.

However, every third newborn was transferred to a neonatal unit, although only 5% got a formal diagnose of Transient Neonatal MG (TNMG). We think TNMG was underdiagnosed, since unspecified hypotonia and feeding difficulties was common, and adverse neonatal conditions were not increased overall.

Our findings suggest that obstetrical delivery with MG is generally safe with current management. However, we need to raise the awareness of TNMG!

Vigilance over typical TNMG symptoms (fatiguable bulbar weakness and hypotonia) in the first weeks of life is central, but mild and moderate TNMG should be managed without separating the child from the mother. The key is to support breastfeeding and to monitor the child until feeding is successfully established.

Check out our new publication in Neurology.

Background and ObjectivesMuscle weakness, autoantibodies, and medication use in myasthenia gravis (MG) can complicate pregnancy and delivery. Vaginal delivery is encouraged despite increased risk of acute operative delivery. Our aim was to assess ...

01/10/2025

BergenBrain is proud to have contributed 75 patients from Bergen to the CandMig study, just published in Lancet Neurology!
👉 Read the paper here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(25)00269-8/abstract

The study shows that candesartan is an effective, well-tolerated, preventive for episodic migraine — a major result that will help people in Norway and worldwide gain access to this important inexpensive treatment.

We warmly thank everyone involved:
⭐Bergenbrain co-authors and study doctors: Karine Eid, Andrej Khanevski, Jenny Lindroos, Håkon Vegrim, Ane Bakke Øvrevik
⭐Site PI: Marte Bjørk
⭐Our powerhouse study nurse: Mari Nordtveit, who guided the project safely into harbour
⭐The excellent NorHead organizers, led by first and last author Lise Rystad Øie and NorHead director Erling Tronvik
⭐ Our funders and supporters Norges forskningsråd and Haukeland universitetssjukehus

This is a true breakthrough for migraine patients — and a proud achievement for BergenBrain and NorHead. 👏

📺 See NRK’s coverage here https://www.nrk.no/trondelag/mener-norsk-studie-kan-endre-migrenebehandling-i-hele-verden-1.17575585
J Linnea Victoria Lindroos Karine Eid Andrej Netland Khanevski Håkon Magne Vegrim Ane Bakke Øvrevik Marte Helene Bjork Erling Tronvik Mari Nordtveit NorHead - Norsk senter for hodepineforskning Haukeland universitetssjukehus Det medisinske fakultet, UiB Hodepine Norge

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19/09/2025

BergenBrain & NorHead på verdensscenen
Flere medlemmer fra BergenBrain og NorHead presenterte sitt arbeid på den internasjonale hodepinekongressen (IHC) i São Paulo. Vi er stolte over at forskningen som gjøres her i Bergen når ut i den store verden og blir vist frem på internasjonale konferanser – denne gangen helt over den store dammen.

Det er inspirerende å se hvordan forskningen vår bidrar til økt kunnskap og oppmerksomhet rundt hodepine og nevrologiske sykdommer, og vi gleder oss til å fortsette å dele ny innsikt internasjonalt.

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Several members from BergenBrain and NorHead presented their work at the International Headache Congress (IHC) in São Paulo. We are proud that the research conducted here in Bergen reaches out to the world and is showcased at international conferences – this time across the Atlantic.

It is inspiring to see how our research contributes to greater knowledge and awareness about headache and neurological disorders, and we look forward to continuing to share new insights internationally.

18/09/2025

Today we celebrated the launch of our new name – BergenBrain – with cake at our regular BERG meeting!

For many years, we have been known as the Bergen Epilepsy Research Group (BERG). While our roots are in epilepsy research, our work has steadily expanded to also include headache and myasthenia gravis. To reflect this broader scope, we are now gathering all our projects under a new name: BergenBrain.

BergenBrain is an interdisciplinary research group at the University of Bergen and Haukeland University Hospital. We aim to improve quality of life for people living with epilepsy, headache, and myasthenia gravis. Our umbrella includes projects that study the effects and side effects of drugs, identify risk factors, and test new technological solutions for patients and healthcare.

Read more on our brand-new website: https://bergenbrain.no/

11/09/2025

New support for important epilepsy research!

The Norwegian Epilepsy Association has this year awarded more than NOK 400,000 to three research projects – and one of them is the EPI-NY study, led by Senior Consultant Jan Brøgger at the Department of Neurophysiology, Haukeland University Hospital.

The project will investigate the first seizure-like events among patients in the Bergen area and follow them over time to improve diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life. In particular, the researchers will study how EEG and new tools such as artificial intelligence can contribute to earlier and more accurate diagnostics after a first seizure.

A big thank you to the Norwegian Epilepsy Association and to all members and donors who make this research possible! 💜



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Ny støtte til viktig epilepsiforskning!

Epilepsiforbundet har i år delt ut over 400.000 kroner til tre forskningsprosjekter – og ett av dem er EPI-NY studien ledet av overlege JJan Brøggerved Nevrofysiologisk avdeling, Haukeland universitetssykehus.

Prosjektet skal undersøke de første anfallslignende hendelsene hos pasienter i Bergen og omegn, og følge dem over tid for å forbedre diagnostikk, behandling og livskvalitet. Særlig vil forskerne studere hvordan EEG og nye verktøy som kunstig intelligens kan bidra til sikrere og tidligere diagnostikk etter første anfall.

Tusen takk til Epilepsiforbundet og alle medlemmer og givere som gjør denne forskningen mulig! 💜

Link i kommentarfeltet

04/09/2025

Gratulerer til vår BERG-kollega Karine Eid!

Karine er en av de 21 norske forskerne som endelig har fått grønt lys gjennom Fulbright-programmet, etter flere måneder med usikkerhet rundt visum og politiske føringer. Hun har allerede reist til Boston sammen med familien, hvor hun det neste året skal forske på multippel sklerose ved Harvard School of Public Health.

Vi er stolte over å ha Karine som en del av BERG, og gleder oss til å følge forskningsoppholdet hennes i USA!

Link til artikkelen finner du i kommentarfeltet.

03/07/2025

In a recent paper published in The Lancet Neurology, the chair of BERG Marte Helene Bjork and esteemed international colleagues review the best available evidence on how to care for people with epilepsy during their reproductive years. The paper covers key topics such as the choice of antiseizure medications and folic acid supplementation in relation to pregnancy, the use of valproate in men, and how to support shared decision-making with patients.

The The Lancet Neurology is the world’s highest-ranked journal in neurology. BERG is a member of Driv Senter for Kvinnehelseforskning ved Universitetet i Bergen and affiliated with Haukeland universitetssjukehus. For kvinners helse - 1,6 Norge EpilepsiNett Det medisinske fakultet, UiB Epilepsiforbundet Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Epilepsy is a common neurological condition worldwide, presenting unique management challenges for those affected during reproductive age. The effectiveness of contraceptives can be modified by antiseizure medication treatments and pregnancy can alter the pharmacokinetics of antiseizure medications....