In Norwegian
Node leaders: Ole-Bjørn Tysnes and Tale Litlere Bjerknes
Ole-Bjørn Tysnes is a consultant neurologist at the Department of Neurology at Haukeland University Hospital and professor of neurology at the University of Bergen. He has for many years focused his research on ALS and PD and serves as Principal Investigator for the ongoing ALS studies at Neuro‑SysMed.
Tale Litlere Bjerknes has an MD from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and a PhD from the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, where she studied the development of spatial representation and memory. She is a doctor in the ALS clinic at the Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, and works with clinical trials aimed at developing novel ALS therapies. Her basic research focuses on genetics and mitochondrial dysfunction in ALS. She also leads the ALS-LTMV study focusing on various aspects of quality of life in ALS patients, their partners, and children, including the impact of life-prolonging treatment with long-term mechanical ventilation.
Research focus
Translational and clinical research from Neuro-SysMed’s PD Node and other groups has nominated NAD-replenishment therapy as a potential neuroprotective intervention across neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, one small study suggested that the combination of NR and pterostilbene (a sirtuin activator) may have added benefit in patients with ALS (PMID 30668199). Encouraged by this evidence, the ALS Node conducts clinical trials to determine whether combination therapy of NR and pterostilbene may inhibit neurodegeneration and increase survival and quality of life in patients with ALS.
The ALS Node is also highly engaged in assessing how life‑prolonging interventions, such as mechanical ventilation, influence the quality of life of patients and their informal caregivers. To advance this work, they have initiated the ALS‑LTMV study, which examines the impact of these therapies on the quality of life of patients, their spouses, and their children.
Finally, the ALS Node conducts research aiming to improve the diagnosis and tailored treatment opportunities for patients, and they are planning research for ALS clusters in Norway.
During 2025, the ALS node made substantial advances in its clinical research projects, which include five clinical trials, including one industry-sponsored trial, and one prospective cohort study.
See an overview of the clinical trials in the ALS-node on the page ALS and Clinical Studies.