EANnews
  • EAN News
    • All President’s Corner Executive Page EAN News EAN Congress news Interviews
      EAN Congress news

      EAN 2025 highlights: celebrating progress and looking ahead

      July 3, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      Ischemic stroke: the journey toward optimal outcomes continues

      June 24, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      EAN TV | EAN/WFN: navigating neuropsychiatric care for migrants and refugees

      June 24, 2025

      Brain Health

      EAN Public Brain Health Day: connecting brains

      June 24, 2025

      President’s Corner

      President’s Corner – June 2025

      June 3, 2025

      President’s Corner

      President’s Corner – May 2025

      May 7, 2025

      President’s Corner

      President’s Corner – April 2025

      April 11, 2025

      President’s Corner

      President’s Corner – March 2025

      March 13, 2025

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: Get ready for EAN 2025 in Helsinki!

      June 3, 2025

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: panels, guidelines, EBRAINS, and more ways to get involved in EAN scientific activities

      May 7, 2025

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: If you do not communicate, you do not exist! A March full of meetings, summits and forums

      April 11, 2025

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: New opportunities to learn for all neurologists!

      March 13, 2025

      EAN News

      EAN Public Brain Health Day: connecting brains

      June 24, 2025

      EAN News

      EAN 2025 Presidential Symposium: bridging neuroscience frontiers from theory to clinical impact

      June 22, 2025

      EAN News

      EAN 2025 Opening Session kicks off with visionary roadmap for the future of European neurology

      June 22, 2025

      EAN News

      Research Highlights of the Month – June 2025

      June 11, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      EAN 2025 highlights: celebrating progress and looking ahead

      July 3, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      Ischemic stroke: the journey toward optimal outcomes continues

      June 24, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      EAN TV | EAN/WFN: navigating neuropsychiatric care for migrants and refugees

      June 24, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      EAN Public Brain Health Day: connecting brains

      June 24, 2025

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Mood Alterations in the Prodromal Phase of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, with Raphael Wurm

      March 14, 2025

      Interviews

      Video Interview: EMA approval of lecanemab, with Sebastiaan Engelborghs, EAN Dementia Panel Co-Chair

      January 15, 2025

      Interviews

      Video interview: Claudia Sommer, incoming Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Neurology

      January 3, 2025

      Interviews

      Video interviews: meet some of the EAN’s national neurological society partners!

      November 20, 2024

  • Research
    • All Research Funding Paper of the Month Research Highlights
      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – June 2025

      June 11, 2025

      Research

      EMA Neurology News – May 2025

      June 4, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Research Papers of the Month: Phase I trial of hES cell-derived dopaminergic neurons for Parkinson’s disease / Phase I/II trial of iPS-cell-derived dopaminergic cells for Parkinson’s disease

      June 2, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – May 2025

      May 13, 2025

      Research Funding

      Draft Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) Funding Call topics related to the brain

      May 2, 2025

      Research Funding 'Horizon Europe' in large 3D text, surrounded by illustrations of people undertaking various activities

      Upcoming Horizon Europe Funding Opportunities for Neurology Researchers (Draft Calls)

      May 2, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Research Papers of the Month: Phase I trial of hES cell-derived dopaminergic neurons for Parkinson’s disease / Phase I/II trial of iPS-cell-derived dopaminergic cells for Parkinson’s disease

      June 2, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Research Papers of the Month: Tolebrutinib in Nonrelapsing Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis / Tolebrutinib versus Teriflunomide in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

      May 7, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Intake of Red Meat in Relation to Dementia Risk and Cognitive Function in US Adults

      April 4, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Video Interview: Mood Alterations in the Prodromal Phase of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, with Raphael Wurm

      March 14, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – June 2025

      June 11, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – May 2025

      May 13, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – April 2025

      April 14, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – March 2025

      March 13, 2025

  • Education
    • All eLearning Student Corner Resident and Research Fellows Fellowship reports
      eLearning

      Call for Applications: eanCampus Associate Editors

      July 1, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN TV | RRFS: Neurology and climate change

      June 22, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows Five panel members sitting in a row on armchairs

      EAN TV | RRFS: Neurology of the Future

      June 21, 2025

      eLearning

      Brush up on the EAN 2025 Overarching Theme on the eanCampus!

      June 10, 2025

      eLearning

      Call for Applications: eanCampus Associate Editors

      July 1, 2025

      eLearning

      Brush up on the EAN 2025 Overarching Theme on the eanCampus!

      June 10, 2025

      eLearning Cartoon image of a desk with computer screen, lamp and office chair

      Continue learning with brand new content on the eanCampus!

      June 10, 2025

      eLearning

      Brush up your knowledge on clinical neurophysiology knowledge in May!

      May 2, 2025

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowships winners 2025

      June 6, 2025

      Student Corner Photo of a sheet of paper, pencil and crumpled paper on a desk.

      Why Neurology? Read some compelling answers from our EAN 2025 essay contest winners!

      May 12, 2025

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2023 – Paris & Basel

      March 12, 2025

      Student Corner

      Apply now for the Student Teaser Fellowship 2025!

      February 1, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN TV | RRFS: Neurology and climate change

      June 22, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows Five panel members sitting in a row on armchairs

      EAN TV | RRFS: Neurology of the Future

      June 21, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Regional Teaching Day in Ohrid, North Macedonia, 9 October 2025

      June 6, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows

      Transformative year will “reshape our section of the society” says former RRFS Chair

      June 4, 2025

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Reports 2023: Lyon, Berlin, & London

      March 31, 2025

      Fellowship reports

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2023 – Paris & Basel

      March 12, 2025

      Fellowship reports

      Clinical Fellowship Reports 2023: Utrecht, Dianalund, & London

      February 20, 2025

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Reports 2023: London & Vienna/Paris

      October 8, 2024

  • Other News
    • All EAN Staff EBC News in general Surveys
      Advocacy

      EAN TV | National Brain Plans and the Path Toward EU Coordination: Insights from Finland and Europe

      June 21, 2025

      EBC

      EAN TV | European Brain Council: Paving the Way for a European Brain Health Partnership

      June 21, 2025

      Brain Health

      Yaoundé Declaration on the brain economy officially launched

      May 12, 2025

      EBC Composite image containing various photos from European Brain Council events, plus the EBC logo

      EBC launches 2024 annual report

      April 25, 2025

      EAN Staff

      Research Paper of the Month: Exenatide once a week versus placebo as a potential disease-modifying treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease in the UK

      March 13, 2025

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Ulla & Piyapat

      December 1, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Kathrin & Sasha

      August 28, 2023

      EAN Staff Anja Sander receiving flowers at the end of EAN Congress 2023

      Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Anja Sander, EAN’s Executive Director!

      August 3, 2023

      EBC

      EAN TV | National Brain Plans and the Path Toward EU Coordination: Insights from Finland and Europe

      June 21, 2025

      EBC

      EAN TV | European Brain Council: Paving the Way for a European Brain Health Partnership

      June 21, 2025

      EBC Composite image containing various photos from European Brain Council events, plus the EBC logo

      EBC launches 2024 annual report

      April 25, 2025

      EBC

      Brain Innovation Days announces theme and subtheme for 2025 edition!

      March 29, 2025

      News in general

      New paper offers insight into patient involvement in neurological research 

      January 31, 2025

      News in general

      Join the European Brain Council’s ‘Towards a Rare Brain Disease Ecosystem’ event in Brussels on 20 February!

      January 31, 2025

      News in general

      The Brain Prize 2024: Pioneering work in computational and theoretical neuroscience is awarded the world’s largest brain research prize

      March 5, 2024

      News in general

      WHO’s Intersectoral Global Action Plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders (IGAP) published in all six UN languages

      August 3, 2023

      Surveys

      Public Consultation – European Charter for the Responsible Development of Neurotechnologies

      November 25, 2024

      Surveys

      A survey on connectomics: key insights from EAN neurologists

      July 25, 2024

      Surveys

      Survey: Mapping European Neurological Programs in Solid Organ Transplant Centers

      May 31, 2024

      Surveys

      Neurorehabilitation Across Europe after Ischemic and Traumatic Brain Injuries: a survey to increase knowledge on brain-injury-specific neurorehabilitation

      July 14, 2023

  • EAN
  • Congress 2025
  • eanNews
  • eanCampus
  • Eur J Neurol
  • Brain Health Mission

EANnews

  • EAN News
    • All President’s Corner Executive Page EAN News EAN Congress news Interviews
      EAN Congress news

      EAN 2025 highlights: celebrating progress and looking ahead

      July 3, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      Ischemic stroke: the journey toward optimal outcomes continues

      June 24, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      EAN TV | EAN/WFN: navigating neuropsychiatric care for migrants and refugees

      June 24, 2025

      Brain Health

      EAN Public Brain Health Day: connecting brains

      June 24, 2025

      President’s Corner

      President’s Corner – June 2025

      June 3, 2025

      President’s Corner

      President’s Corner – May 2025

      May 7, 2025

      President’s Corner

      President’s Corner – April 2025

      April 11, 2025

      President’s Corner

      President’s Corner – March 2025

      March 13, 2025

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: Get ready for EAN 2025 in Helsinki!

      June 3, 2025

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: panels, guidelines, EBRAINS, and more ways to get involved in EAN scientific activities

      May 7, 2025

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: If you do not communicate, you do not exist! A March full of meetings, summits and forums

      April 11, 2025

      Executive Page

      Executive Page: New opportunities to learn for all neurologists!

      March 13, 2025

      EAN News

      EAN Public Brain Health Day: connecting brains

      June 24, 2025

      EAN News

      EAN 2025 Presidential Symposium: bridging neuroscience frontiers from theory to clinical impact

      June 22, 2025

      EAN News

      EAN 2025 Opening Session kicks off with visionary roadmap for the future of European neurology

      June 22, 2025

      EAN News

      Research Highlights of the Month – June 2025

      June 11, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      EAN 2025 highlights: celebrating progress and looking ahead

      July 3, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      Ischemic stroke: the journey toward optimal outcomes continues

      June 24, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      EAN TV | EAN/WFN: navigating neuropsychiatric care for migrants and refugees

      June 24, 2025

      EAN Congress news

      EAN Public Brain Health Day: connecting brains

      June 24, 2025

      Interviews

      Video Interview: Mood Alterations in the Prodromal Phase of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, with Raphael Wurm

      March 14, 2025

      Interviews

      Video Interview: EMA approval of lecanemab, with Sebastiaan Engelborghs, EAN Dementia Panel Co-Chair

      January 15, 2025

      Interviews

      Video interview: Claudia Sommer, incoming Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Neurology

      January 3, 2025

      Interviews

      Video interviews: meet some of the EAN’s national neurological society partners!

      November 20, 2024

  • Research
    • All Research Funding Paper of the Month Research Highlights
      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – June 2025

      June 11, 2025

      Research

      EMA Neurology News – May 2025

      June 4, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Research Papers of the Month: Phase I trial of hES cell-derived dopaminergic neurons for Parkinson’s disease / Phase I/II trial of iPS-cell-derived dopaminergic cells for Parkinson’s disease

      June 2, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – May 2025

      May 13, 2025

      Research Funding

      Draft Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) Funding Call topics related to the brain

      May 2, 2025

      Research Funding 'Horizon Europe' in large 3D text, surrounded by illustrations of people undertaking various activities

      Upcoming Horizon Europe Funding Opportunities for Neurology Researchers (Draft Calls)

      May 2, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Research Papers of the Month: Phase I trial of hES cell-derived dopaminergic neurons for Parkinson’s disease / Phase I/II trial of iPS-cell-derived dopaminergic cells for Parkinson’s disease

      June 2, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Research Papers of the Month: Tolebrutinib in Nonrelapsing Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis / Tolebrutinib versus Teriflunomide in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

      May 7, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Research Paper of the Month: Intake of Red Meat in Relation to Dementia Risk and Cognitive Function in US Adults

      April 4, 2025

      Paper of the Month

      Video Interview: Mood Alterations in the Prodromal Phase of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, with Raphael Wurm

      March 14, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – June 2025

      June 11, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – May 2025

      May 13, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – April 2025

      April 14, 2025

      Research Highlights

      Research Highlights of the Month – March 2025

      March 13, 2025

  • Education
    • All eLearning Student Corner Resident and Research Fellows Fellowship reports
      eLearning

      Call for Applications: eanCampus Associate Editors

      July 1, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN TV | RRFS: Neurology and climate change

      June 22, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows Five panel members sitting in a row on armchairs

      EAN TV | RRFS: Neurology of the Future

      June 21, 2025

      eLearning

      Brush up on the EAN 2025 Overarching Theme on the eanCampus!

      June 10, 2025

      eLearning

      Call for Applications: eanCampus Associate Editors

      July 1, 2025

      eLearning

      Brush up on the EAN 2025 Overarching Theme on the eanCampus!

      June 10, 2025

      eLearning Cartoon image of a desk with computer screen, lamp and office chair

      Continue learning with brand new content on the eanCampus!

      June 10, 2025

      eLearning

      Brush up your knowledge on clinical neurophysiology knowledge in May!

      May 2, 2025

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowships winners 2025

      June 6, 2025

      Student Corner Photo of a sheet of paper, pencil and crumpled paper on a desk.

      Why Neurology? Read some compelling answers from our EAN 2025 essay contest winners!

      May 12, 2025

      Student Corner

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2023 – Paris & Basel

      March 12, 2025

      Student Corner

      Apply now for the Student Teaser Fellowship 2025!

      February 1, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN TV | RRFS: Neurology and climate change

      June 22, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows Five panel members sitting in a row on armchairs

      EAN TV | RRFS: Neurology of the Future

      June 21, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows

      EAN Regional Teaching Day in Ohrid, North Macedonia, 9 October 2025

      June 6, 2025

      Resident and Research Fellows

      Transformative year will “reshape our section of the society” says former RRFS Chair

      June 4, 2025

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Reports 2023: Lyon, Berlin, & London

      March 31, 2025

      Fellowship reports

      Student Teaser Fellowship reports 2023 – Paris & Basel

      March 12, 2025

      Fellowship reports

      Clinical Fellowship Reports 2023: Utrecht, Dianalund, & London

      February 20, 2025

      Fellowship reports

      Research Fellowship Reports 2023: London & Vienna/Paris

      October 8, 2024

  • Other News
    • All EAN Staff EBC News in general Surveys
      Advocacy

      EAN TV | National Brain Plans and the Path Toward EU Coordination: Insights from Finland and Europe

      June 21, 2025

      EBC

      EAN TV | European Brain Council: Paving the Way for a European Brain Health Partnership

      June 21, 2025

      Brain Health

      Yaoundé Declaration on the brain economy officially launched

      May 12, 2025

      EBC Composite image containing various photos from European Brain Council events, plus the EBC logo

      EBC launches 2024 annual report

      April 25, 2025

      EAN Staff

      Research Paper of the Month: Exenatide once a week versus placebo as a potential disease-modifying treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease in the UK

      March 13, 2025

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Ulla & Piyapat

      December 1, 2023

      EAN Staff

      EAN Head Office Profiles: Kathrin & Sasha

      August 28, 2023

      EAN Staff Anja Sander receiving flowers at the end of EAN Congress 2023

      Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence: Anja Sander, EAN’s Executive Director!

      August 3, 2023

      EBC

      EAN TV | National Brain Plans and the Path Toward EU Coordination: Insights from Finland and Europe

      June 21, 2025

      EBC

      EAN TV | European Brain Council: Paving the Way for a European Brain Health Partnership

      June 21, 2025

      EBC Composite image containing various photos from European Brain Council events, plus the EBC logo

      EBC launches 2024 annual report

      April 25, 2025

      EBC

      Brain Innovation Days announces theme and subtheme for 2025 edition!

      March 29, 2025

      News in general

      New paper offers insight into patient involvement in neurological research 

      January 31, 2025

      News in general

      Join the European Brain Council’s ‘Towards a Rare Brain Disease Ecosystem’ event in Brussels on 20 February!

      January 31, 2025

      News in general

      The Brain Prize 2024: Pioneering work in computational and theoretical neuroscience is awarded the world’s largest brain research prize

      March 5, 2024

      News in general

      WHO’s Intersectoral Global Action Plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders (IGAP) published in all six UN languages

      August 3, 2023

      Surveys

      Public Consultation – European Charter for the Responsible Development of Neurotechnologies

      November 25, 2024

      Surveys

      A survey on connectomics: key insights from EAN neurologists

      July 25, 2024

      Surveys

      Survey: Mapping European Neurological Programs in Solid Organ Transplant Centers

      May 31, 2024

      Surveys

      Neurorehabilitation Across Europe after Ischemic and Traumatic Brain Injuries: a survey to increase knowledge on brain-injury-specific neurorehabilitation

      July 14, 2023

InterviewsFeatured Slider

Interview with Professor Jes Olesen

January 1, 2018

 

 

 

Professor Jes Olesen, FEAN

Professor of neurology at the University of Copenhagen and chief of the Danish Headache Center at Glostrup University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

 

 

 

David B. Vodušek (DBV): When looking back at your long and varied career, can you tell us what was crucial for you to choose neurology as your specialty, and headache as your primary research field of interest?

 Jes Olesen (JO): Already as a medical student, I was interested in neurology. I thought at that time – and I still think so today – that the brain is by far the most interesting organ in a human being. In those days in the late nineteen sixties neurology was a tiny specialty, and it was considered very, very difficult to get a hospital position in neurology. Therefore, I was in the beginning more inclined to choose internal medicine, but I got in contact with an outstanding research environment headed by Professor Niels A. Lassen. That group was indisputably world leading in the field of brain blood flow, and I started on a doctoral thesis under the guidance of Niels A. Lassen. My lifelong friend and colleague professor Olaf B. Paulson was instrumental in getting me a position, and it was fantastic to work in such an internationally acknowledged environment. I had no difficulty finishing my thesis on brain blood flow and that included studies of adrenaline, nor-adrenaline, angiotensin, histamine and serotonin. My neurological mentor was Professor Erik Skinhøj and he had done a couple of studies in migraine demonstrating mark changes in brain blood flow. Therefore, when I finished my doctoral thesis and continued my education in neurology, and I looked out for a disease where studies of brain blood flow could be interesting, migraine was an option. I was also interested in common disorders and thought that neurologists paid too much interest to rare diseases. Consequently, I chose migraine but there was a difficulty. Headache patients were rare in academic neurological departments. To solve that problem I organized an acute service where people could come in by themselves and have a single acute headache attack treated. This so-called Copenhagen Acute Headache Clinic gave us ample material to study and at the same time helped many people.

DBV: Can you tell the EAN Pages readers of your work in the field of headache? What do you consider the important short-term and mid-term goals of research in this field?

JO: My research in headache got a rocket start because we very early showed that there are marked changes in brain blood flow during attacks of migraine with aura. This was groundbreaking because it disproved the then universally accepted idea that the migraine aura was caused by ischemia and the headache by reactive hyperemia. Instead, we suggested cortical spreading depression as a mechanism and this is still accepted today. At that time, I also started work on the International classification of headache disorders and I have subsequently chaired the work for three successive editions, the third being published as the first issue in 2018 of the headache journal Cephalalgia. The next major interest was in the provocation of migraine attacks. We developed an experimental model and showed that the signaling molecules nitric oxide, histamine, calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), the prostanoids and Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) were all able to induce headache in non-migraineurs and migraine in migraine sufferers. Consequently, these signaling molecules were likely to be involved in migraine mechanisms. That has now been proven for CGRP, where a small molecule receptor antagonist is effective in the treatment of acute attacks and human monoclonal antibodies against CGRP or its receptor are effective in the prophylaxis of migraine. The key thing is that migraine and cluster headache now have a rich neurobiological background completely open for basic neuroscientific research. In addition, very specific drugs, the triptans and the CGRP antagonists, provide an inroad to the understanding of migraine mechanisms. How do the provoking signaling molecules or the drugs work? What is the common denominator? In which tissue does the action take place? These issues will be clarified in the coming years. Migraine genetics is the other extremely important research field. 38 common variants associated with migraine have already been identified and many more will come. Three genes cause the rare monogenic familiar hemiplegic migraine and new rare genetic variants with a high relative risk will be identified for migraine with or without aura. They will also improve our understanding of the basic mechanisms of migraine.

DBV: The Danish Headache Centre is a model in its kind. What would be your recommendation for Europe when considering the work the Headache Centre does?

JO: We were able to develop the Danish Headache Center as a multi-disciplinary tertiary referral center for rare and difficult-to-treat headache patients from all of Denmark. The reason why this was successful is our decades of frontline headache research. We kept hammering at the political decision makers that the treatment of headache patients should be at the same high level as our research. It took about a decade before we got started, but once we started, patients got referred in huge numbers, and we soon had a long waiting list. We were then able in several steps to expand the headache center because patients from outside of our local uptake area brought an income to the hospital system. The last achievement was that we are now moving into a brand new building of 2200 square meters that are built specifically to the purpose. We had patient organizations participating in the planning which means that a lot of important details for the patients were built in such as dampening of the light, no violent colors or patterns, sound dampening floors and walls and more. The ground floor is for patient management and the top floor is for offices and mostly for patient related research. With the Danish Headache Centre, we have finalized the Danish plans for services to headache patients, which include three tiers. The general practitioners handle the first, and every Dane has a general practitioner. They take care of the majority of headache patients but they refer the slightly more difficult cases to practicing neurologists or to a non-specialized neurological department. The third tier is then The Danish Headache Centre that is highly specialized. I strongly recommend that other countries work towards this three-tier system, which is also supported by the global campaign against headache of the World Health Organization.  Headache is so prevalent that the majority of services must be delivered by general practice but the severe end of the headache specter still includes large numbers of patients for tier number two and three.

DBV: In 1995, you became President of the EFNS and worked towards the creation of an overarching European society together with ENS. In 2013, this became a reality and EAN – European Academy was created. What is your view on this?

JO: I was a vice president of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) from its inception in 1991 with Professor Franz Gerstenbrand as the president. He delegated a lot of work and responsibility to me. Therefore, I became the workhorse but also very influential during the formative years of EFNS. We started with no money, no office, and no policy and in competition with the already well established European Neurological Society (ENS). We tried in the first years to work out an agreement with ENS about alternating meetings but the ENS took no notice, and it became clear that negotiation was only possible from a position of strength. We developed that before and during my presidency. I then tried three times to achieve a fusion between ENS and EFNS. Every time the negotiating committee was positive but the ENS board turned down every time the proposal. All my efforts seemed to be in vain but perhaps all these attempts did work behind the scenes and perhaps they did support the final solution. I was extremely pleased when the fourth attempt at fusion was finally successful. The main reason behind the success was perhaps that the presidents of the two organizations were both Belgians, and Belgians are known for their flexibility and ability to compromise. It has also been extremely pleasant to see how the EAN works smoothly after the fusion including many initiatives that I started in the EFNS. If there has ever been any kind of slight hostility between the two previous organizations then it has not been carried forward into the new organization. We also owe a lot of gratitude to the first president of the EAN, Professor Günther Deuschl. I think he has been a tremendous leader of the new organization, not only because he has worked so hard, but also because he always has the focus on achieving results for the organization and does this with personal modesty. The big challenge for the EAN, as I see it, is that it was created at a time when regulatory rules have become tighter and tighter, pharma industry has lost some of its interest in the brain  and funding has become less abundant. Maybe that is why participation at EAN congresses has been only slightly greater than it was at the congresses of the EFNS. However, congress size is only one aspect. The EAN has so many other tasks and it can pursue these tasks with much more vigor than the previous two separate organizations. Soon the EAN will be a par with the American Academy of Neurology.

DBV: Your vision of Europe and the importance of “brain research” gave birth to two very important and successful organisations: EFNA – the European Federation of Neurological Associations and EBC – European Brain Council. What was your rationale for starting up these organisations?

JO: Neurology has expanded a lot over the last decades but it is still a relatively small specialty in most European countries. It is an important task for the EAN to persistently support not only the qualitative development of our specialty but also its quantitative development. We should define our specialty very broadly. It is also important to see neurology as a brain discipline and to work together with related organizations in neurosurgery, psychiatry and in basic neuroscience. When it comes to influencing the political/administrative agenda even such a collaboration between related disciplines is not enough. Politicians always think about the voters and we should never forget that the end goal of all biological research and clinical research is to fight diseases of the brain. Therefore, patient organizations are incredibly important. Whenever possible we should work hand in hand with the patients to promote our common goal. When I was president of the EFNS, I participated in meetings in Brussels about forthcoming brain research programs. They were led by basic neuroscientist and met with little success.  I understood that we must form a broad alliance that mediates collaboration between all players with an interest in the brain and its diseases. At the European level, there was no overarching patient organization for neurology, only organizations focusing on individual diseases. Mrs. Mary Baker came from the presidency of The European Parkinson’s Disease Association and agreed to form a European federation of patient’s organizations within neurology. EFNS was able to support her with modest finances and allocated a significant proportion of the time of Mrs. Eveline Sipido to assist Mary Baker. Then the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA) was formed and we could move on. There was not a single but several professional organizations for psychiatry. We elected to start collaborating with the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) that focused on the organic aspect of psychiatric diseases. The basic neuroscientists in FENS and the psychiatric patient organization GAMIAN also participated in the formation of the European Brain Council (EBC). That organization was able to get the ear of The Commission for Research in Brussels. We also developed important documents: Cost of Disorders of the Brain in Europe, Resource Allocation to Brain Research in Europe and Consensus Document on European Brain Research. The combined organizational efforts and all the new published evidence made it possible to get impact on the 6th and 7th framework programs. In fact, our lobbying over a decade resulted in enormous increases of EU funding of brain research from seventy million to 1.4 billion Euros per framework program. I am very pleased to see that both the EBC and EFNA are thriving and developing. There has to be continued presence in Brussels and continued efforts to increase brain research. Otherwise, brain research will be reduced. There is no standing still – either forward or backward.

DBV: What is your vision of the future development of neurology in the decades to come?

JO: I have always been very ambitious on behalf of neurology. I advocated a definition of the specialty including stroke, dementia, headache, neuro habilitation, trauma, equilibrium disorders and more. In Denmark, we have achieved a large part of that and neurology has become a relatively big specialty. Some old-fashioned neurologists may think that all their “interesting” rare patients may drown in the sea of common disorders. That may be true, but we need to maximize the benefit of neurology and that involves big numbers. As the president of EFNS and EBC I use to say that British patients with neurological disorders get inferior service despite the fact that British neurologist are perhaps the best in Europe. That is simply the quantitative aspect. There are not enough neurologist and not enough neurological beds in the UK. Both quality and quantity matters. The EAN should vigorously pursue this definition of neurology. Two or three examples from Denmark may serve as guidance for other countries. My own headache center started in 2001 and in 2017, we had 8-fulltime neurologist working on headache. We have three nurses, three psychologists, a part time dentist and a part time psychiatrist plus support personnel. We now expand further with a national knowledge center for headache. Such centers are probably needed for every million inhabitants throughout Europe.  Stroke care has been organized so that all stroke patients in Denmark are acutely admitted to a stroke unit in a neurological department for fast workup and treatment. Dementia has been organized in multidisciplinary dementia clinics usually located within neurological departments. These initiatives can be done everywhere in Europe.

I foresee that in the next twenty-five years neurology will develop even faster than during the past twenty-five years.

Dear Professor Olesen, dear Jes, I am very grateful to you for this interview.

I am sure my generation of European neurologists is well aware of your many achievements. The scientific ones are of course well documented, but your energetic career, long fight for expanding neurology and neuroscience and give neurological patients a better chance all over Europe is perhaps not so obvious to the younger colleagues, who, I hope, are embracing your concept of neurology as a large speciality and will continue on this path.

 

Interview with Professor Jes Olesen was last modified: November 12th, 2018 by Editor
Share this...
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
ensebcefnsstrokeheadachedementia
previous post
Scientific Panel Neurorehabilitation | Activity report 2017
next post
CME online – January 2018

You may also like

EAN 2025 Presidential Symposium: bridging neuroscience frontiers from theory to clinical impact

June 22, 2025

Team International takes the win at the EAN 2025 BrainChallenge

June 22, 2025

EAN 2025 Opening Session kicks off with visionary roadmap for the future of European neurology

June 22, 2025

Watch now! EAN 2025 Opening Session – full recording!

June 21, 2025
Head and shoulders of Claudio Bassetti standing on stage, with computer monitor in foreground

Neurological disorders in Europe: Impact, costs, and the road ahead

June 21, 2025

EAN honours Joke Jaarsma with Lifetime Fellowship (FEAN) for Outstanding Leadership in Patient Advocacy 

June 21, 2025

Executive Page: Get ready for EAN 2025 in Helsinki!

June 3, 2025

President’s Corner – June 2025

June 3, 2025

Research Papers of the Month: Phase I trial of hES cell-derived dopaminergic neurons for Parkinson’s disease / Phase I/II trial of iPS-cell-derived dopaminergic cells for Parkinson’s disease

June 2, 2025

Executive Page: panels, guidelines, EBRAINS, and more ways to get involved in EAN scientific activities

May 7, 2025

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

You need to be logged in to comment. Please login to MyEAN on top.

Upcoming Events

Mar
13
Thu
12:45 am eSleep Europe 2025: Neurology
eSleep Europe 2025: Neurology
Mar 13 @ 12:45 am – Dec 11 @ 12:00 am
eSleep Europe 2025: Neurology
  eSleep Europe 2025 is a year-long virtual congress by the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS), dedicated to advancing sleep research, medicine, and technology. Building on the success of its…
May
8
Thu
12:00 am eSleep Europe 2025: Mental Health
eSleep Europe 2025: Mental Health
May 8 @ 12:00 am – Dec 11 @ 12:00 am
eSleep Europe 2025: Mental Health
  eSleep Europe 2025 is a year-long virtual congress by the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS), dedicated to advancing sleep research, medicine, and technology. Building on the success of its…
Jul
8
Tue
all-day 16th European Paediatric Neurolo...
16th European Paediatric Neurolo...
Jul 8 – Jul 12 all-day
16th European Paediatric Neurology Society (EPNS) Congress
Paediatric Neurology is opening new horizons for acute and chronic health conditions. Leaps of innovation are taking place for methods, medications, interventions and brain research. Right now Paediatric Neurology transfers…
all-day 16th European Paediatric Neurolo...
16th European Paediatric Neurolo...
Jul 8 – Jul 12 all-day
16th European Paediatric Neurology Society Congress
16th European Paediatric Neurology Society Congress 8-12 July 2025 Munich, Germany A for acute, B for Brain, Health & Science and C for Chronic: In 2025, be part of this…
Aug
8
Fri
all-day 18th Annual Scientific Meeting o...
18th Annual Scientific Meeting o...
Aug 8 – Aug 10 all-day
18th Annual Scientific Meeting of NSANZ on Neuromodulation
  18th Annual Scientific Meeting on Neuromodulation: Resilience and Innovation in Challenging Times The Neuromodulation Society of Australia and New Zealand (NSANZ) is delighted to host the 18th Annual Scientific…
View Calendar

Keep in touch

Facebook Instagram Linkedin
EAN Pages is a members service of the European Academy of Neurology https://www.ean.org

All content from January 2012 - June 2013 was published by EFNS; content from July 2013 - June 2014 by EFNS and ENS.

ISSN 2310-2934

Keep in touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin

Archives

Pages

  • Privacy Policy
  • About us
  • Help

Back To Top