NORMENT
Annual Report 2015
1|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
Norwegian Centre for Mental
Disorders Research (NORMENT)
Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research
(NORMENT) is a Norwegian Centre of
Excellence established by the Research Council
of Norway in July 2013.
NORMENT is integrated with the K. G. Jebsen
Centre for Psychosis Research, funded by the
K.G. Jebsen Foundation. This provides a unique
opportunity to perform comprehensive and longterm research, reaching across the country.
The Centre has a clear clinical profile, involving
investigations of patients with state-of-the art
clinical assessments and research technology,
and translating findings to experimental studies
for the identification of underlying mechanisms.
We have ambitious scientific goals, focusing on
understanding the underlying mechanisms of
severe mental disorders. This is a field with large
unmet needs and lack of knowledge, which
makes the work of our Centre of Excellence very
important. We have focused on four main areas
of activities to answer the following research
questions:
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Why do antipsychotic medications have
severe side effects?
How can brain imaging help linking
genes to clinical characteristics?
Where is the ‘hidden heritability’ of
severe mental disorders?
How can we predict outcome in patients
experiencing their first signs of disease?
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Leader’s comments
Vision Statement
Scientific aims
Scientific currency
NORMENT Annual Retreat
Core Researchers
Translational Psychiatry
Clinical Psychosis Research
Neurocognition
Animal models
Structural MRI
Psychiatric Molecular Genetics
Brain Imaging
Convergent functional genomics
International Cooperation
New employees 2014
NORMENT Staff
Activities 2014
Visits Abroad
Visits from Abroad
NORMENT leads new initiative
Selected presentations
Disputations
NORMENT in Media
Publications
Funding
2|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
Leader’s comments
I am pleased to present the 2015 report from our Centre of Excellence (CoE)
NORMENT. It has been a very fruitful year with important achievements and
discoveries. We have now established the organization and infrastructure,
and are able to build on our vertical synergy approach to move the field
forward.
An important aspect of CoE is to facilitate interactions and synergy between
the different groups, and here we have succeeded with our Vertical Synergy
Meetings. In these workshops the frontline status in a field is presented, and
then we discuss ongoing and plan future projects in an interactive way,
Ole A. Andreassen
involving junior and senior Centre members. This has led to rewarding
scientific discussions, better project management and coordination, and identification of novel project
opportunities and plans.
I am happy that we have continued publishing high impact papers in the most prestigious journals in
2015. We have participated in several important studies discovering new gene variants associated
with phenotypes relevant for psychiatric disorders, such as brain structures as revealed by brain
imaging. This has been based on both European and US grants.
The CoE researchers have contributed to new discoveries in all of our four main research areas. We
have continued to develop new statistical tools essential for the next phase of studies, obtained new
understanding about the connectivity in the brain, and specifically relating this to other levels of
explanation, such as polygenic risk and symptoms and behaviour. We have also followed up these
studies with experimental work to investigate underlying mechanisms.
In 2015 we were successful in obtaining external funding – both from The Research Council of Norway
and the regional Health Authorities, as well as from international sources. Most of the budget is based
on external grants, which makes it important to continuously look for new ideas and opportunities.
An important focus for our Centre is to recruit and engage young talented researchers. We organized
the first Young Scientist Symposium, where the young people at the Centre met and learned to know
each other and discussed ongoing projects and new plans. It is important for the success of the Centre
that we get a functional young scientist team – so that we continue to generate new ideas and
generate energy and enthusiasm for research in severe mental illness.
In 2015 we also made important steps forward in integrating user groups in the centre. We have a
close collaboration with users who have important input to project planning, but also to our
dissemination work. We will increase these efforts in 2016 and continue to improve the relationship
with users.
This makes me very optimistic for the next year and I look forward to new discoveries in 2016.
Ole A. Andreassen, Centre leader
3|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
Vision statement
NORMENT’s primary objective is to reveal underlying pathophysiological mechanisms in
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and to develop tools for stratification and outcome prediction, using
a vertical synergy approach. We have the following main aims:
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Define new targets to optimize the ratio of beneficial vs. adverse effects
Use genetic and environmental factors to predict disease progress and outcome.
Identify genetic variants or expression variation to reveal ‘missing heritability’
Determine new brain imaging phenotypes linking genes and core clinical phenotypes.
We will take advantage of the homogeneity of the Norwegian population (genetic background, health
care system, registries) as the basis for collecting large samples of affected and unaffected people.
These individuals will be characterized with the same clinical, cognitive, biochemical and imaging
protocols to identify new mechanisms which will be studied functionally in animal and cell culture
models.
Scientific aims
1. Define New Targets for Antipsychotic Medication
Antipsychotic medications are the cornerstone in the treatment of schizophrenia, and have in
recent years also been used for bipolar disorder. The medications are not equally effective for all
patients, and have a limited effect on the core symptoms for approximately 20 % of those treated.
Adverse effects are problematic and in some cases serious, such as cardiovascular risk factors
(weight gain, abnormal fat levels in the blood, diabetes etc.). Research at NORMENT has a
particular focus on the immune and lipid (fat) metabolism systems. We use animal and other
experimental models to enhance our knowledge about the mechanisms of action of antipsychotic
medication. We aim to optimize antipsychotic treatment by increasing the therapeutic effect of
medication and reducing adverse effects.
2. Identify Genetic Factors for Psychiatric Disorders – Common and Rare Variants
Family and twin studies have shown that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have high heritability.
Researchers at NORMENT have contributed to major international GWAS (“genome-wide
association studies”). We have found evidence for new vulnerability genes for these disorders.
Preliminary results show that inherited changes in many genes (i.e. gene variants) are involved,
but each variant contributes to a relatively modest degree. The identified gene variants explain
only a small portion of susceptibility to psychotic disorders. Heritability is therefore still far from
fully explained. In our research, we use combined approaches that include new genotyping
methods to identify rare genetic variants. We also use new statistical methods for mapping
multiple gene variants, each of which has a small effect on its own.
4|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
3. Predict Course and Outcome –Including Mortality
Some patients with severe mental disorders recover completely while others develop chronic
illness. Currently, we can mainly make general assumptions about the most likely prognosis for
someone who develops a severe mental illness and are not able to predict the personal outcome
for individual patients. One of the main goals for NORMENT is to investigate how we can improve
our understanding of course and outcome. Ultimately, the goal is to make personalized predictions
for patients coming to their first treatment. We are doing this by examining how genetic- and
environmental risk factors influence the course of the disorder, by combining clinical- and cognitive
assessments with brain imaging.
The main focus has been on investigating how specific environmental risk factors influence
clinical-, cognitive- and morphological characteristics either individually, or in interaction with other
environmental and genetic risk factors. At present, we are studying the effects of early traumatic
events, cannabis use and migration- with additional studies of how the effects of trauma interact
with the effects of cannabis use and of migration. We have also studied how trauma interacts with
genetic factors – in this case variant in the BDNF gene – on cognition and on structural changes in
hippocampal subfields.
This line of research is done in close collaboration
with several of NORMENT’s groups and with
international colleagues in Paris, France and Milan,
Italy. To study the effects on course and outcome we
also need well-described patient cohorts followed
from their first treatment. Within the NORMENT
Centre we have established a large first-treatment
schizophrenia spectrum cohort and are working to
establish a first-treatment bipolar spectrum cohort in
collaboration with Norwegian colleagues in the
NORSMI network. We have launched a 10-year)
follow up of the schizophrenia cohort from the TOP
study and have started a five-year follow up of
patients at Innlandet Hospital in collaboration with the
regional research network. The first part of the longterm follow-up will have a particular focus on
functioning, cognition and negative symptoms.
4. Brain Imaging: Identify Brain MRI Phenotypes Linking Genes to Core Clinical
Phenotypes
Advanced neuroimaging techniques including structural and functional MRI have revolutionized
the understanding of the structural and functional makeup of the human brain. NORMENT
researchers have contributed to the identification of structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia,
including volumetric alterations in front temporal cortical areas and subcortical structures. Partly
overlapping and partly diverging patterns have been found in bipolar disorder.
Structural and functional brain phenotypes are highly heritable, and current research at
NORMENT aims to identify the genetic underpinnings of individual differences in the structural and
functional organization of the human brain, and to disentangle the genetic and phenotypic
associations with severe neuropsychiatric disorders.
5|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
Scientific currency
Publication in international scientific journals
NORMENT scientist authored or co-authored
133 papers in international peer-reviewed
journals in 2015. Of these publications, 31
papers appeared in journals with an impact
factor above 5. Seven of these appeared in
journals with an impact factor above 15.
8%
Impact Factor Distribution - NORMENT
Publications 2014
<5
32 %
60 %
5 - 15
NORMENT has a focus on vertical synergy and
> 15
will in each of our four main research areas aim
to obtain different levels of understanding,
bringing together transdisciplinary expertise and
methods. To achieve this goal, we have developed a meeting place, the monthly Vertical Synergy
Meetings, where we at the practical level can facilitate interactions and discussions. First, there is a
presentation of state of the art in a given topic, then overview of ongoing projects to facilitate
interaction and coordination, and then we end the workshop with discussion of new plans and projects.
This has in 2015 been implemented in a successful way to achieve synergy and initiate novel projects .
Dissemination of research result
NORMENT members gave 84 talks as invited speakers at international scientific meetings in 2015. In
addition, 43 oral presentations and 46 posters were presented by NORMENT scientists. In addition,
NORMENT staff gave 50 lectures, aimed at a targeted audience and the general public.
These include postgraduate lectures, research seminars, and training courses at universities and
hospitals. Talks, posters, dissemination activities and media coverage are listed in the back of this
report.
Prizes and awards:
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Aas, M. Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology (SCNP) Young Scientist Award
Kaufmann, T. Pris for fremragende originalartikkel publisert 1. halvår 2015: Disintegration of
Sensorimotor Brain Networks in Schizophrenia [doi:10.1093/schbul/sbv060]
Quintana, D.: Society of Biological Psychiatry (SOBP) International Travel Fellowship
6|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
Annual Retreat 2015
NORMENT Annual Retreat 2015 took place at Grand Hotel Terminus in Bergen, September 15-17.
The program consisted of plenary lectures with updates, new findings and ongoing projects, synergy
workshops with project planning, as well as poster sessions.
In addition, there were presentations by our Scientific Advisory Board, who also contributed with
comments and feedback. A total of 85 people participated, in an enthusiastic and interactive
atmosphere, and we had a successful annual NORMENT dinner.
Post doc Daniel Quintana presenting “The effect of
intranasal oxytocin on social cognition and neural
activity”
Vidar M. Steen, Marthe Løkken and Ingrid Melle leading the
discussion: "How can we integrate and interact with patient
groups in our research"
7|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
Core competency at
NORMENT
NORMENT has organized the research into interdisciplinary
research groups with complementary expertise. Each
research group is led by a senior researcher. NORMENT
has eight Core Researchers.
8|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
Translational Psychiatry
Achievements in 2015
Group leader:
Ole A. Andreassen,
Professor UiO, OUS
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Group members:
Ingrid Dieset (co-leader)
Andrew Brown
Elin Reponen
Thomas Bjella
Saurabh Srinivasan
Eva Zsuzsanna Hoseth
Yunpeng Wang
Sigrun Hope
Eivind Bakken
Francesco Bettella
Tuomo Mikael Marttunen
Ragni Mørch
Wen Li
Olav Smeland
Martin Tesli
Nils Eiel Steen
Terje Nærland
Aree Witoelar
Verena Zuber
Multimodal MRI Group
Leader Lars T. Westlye
Daniel Quintana
Karolina Kauppi
Tobias Kaufmann
Nhat Trung Doan
Christine Lycke Brandt
Kristina Skåtun
Ingeborg Bolstad
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Actively involved in the ENIGMA consortium which discovered
gene variants associated with subcortical brain structures
Identified brain networks critical to brain function (and
dysfunction) applying novel MRI analytical tools
Developed further tools for statistical modelling of the genetic
architecture of polygenic complex disorders, and discovered
overlapping genes between brain disorders and cardiovascular
disease.
Determined immune factors related to severe mental illness,
brain function and cardiovascular comorbidity.
Ambitions for 2016
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Finish the final phase of large Scandinavian
genetic efforts (long range phasing) using our
large Norwegian sample, and apply this
approach to severe mental illness.
 Develop biostatistical tools for prediction, and
apply them to mental illness phenotypes
including brain and imaging phenotypes.
 Integrate more phenotypes and genetic
markers in the computational neuroscience
Ambitions forapproach
2016
(“biophysical psychiatry”) and make
plans for stem cell investigations.
 Increase the sample size for investigations of
immune and cardiovascular comorbidity, using
national networks.
9|NORMENT Annual Report 2015
Clinical Psychosis Research
Achievements in 2015
The focus of the Clinical research group (Melle CR node) is
NORMENTs main aim number 4, the study on how gene x
environment interactions influence the early- and long term
course of schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. The main
research achievements in 2015 are:
o Completed the one-year follow up part of the early
bipolar study.
o Started the long-term (10 year) follow- up of first part of
“TOP cohort”.
o Started pilot phase of electronic data collection (“TSD
App project”).
o Key papers on the role of environmental risk factors in
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Ambitions for 2016
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Group leader:
Ingrid Melle,
Professor UiO, OUS.
Group members:
Trine Vik Lagerberg
Carmen Simonsen
Akiah Ottesen Berg
Monica Aas
Sofie Aminoff
Tone Hellvin
Camilla Bakkalia Büchman
Christine Demmo
Erlend Gardsjord
Jannicke Fjæra Andersen
Levi Kvitland
Mari Nerhus
Marit Haram
Tiril Østefjells
Siv Hege Lyngstad
Ida Bernadotte Huflåtten
Seyran Khalili
Broaden and expand the long-term follow-up study,
also including register data.
Revise clinical baseline protocol to improve
characterization central to outcome prediction.
Revise clinical protocol to improve valid
measurements of central clinical phenomena.
Complete pilot and first phase of “TSD App project”.
Expand within-center collaboration concerning risk
factor effects (methylation, stem cells).
Ambitions for 2016
10 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Neurocognition
Group leader:
Kjetil Sundet, Professor
UiO
Group members:
Torill Ueland
Thomas Espeseth
Anja Vaskinn
Verónica Expósito
Christine Demmo
Beathe Haatveit
June Lystad
Jens Marius Halvorsen
Samira Aminihajibashi
Maj Egeland
Magnus Engen
Vilja Bidtnes
Kristoffer Grimstad
Tale Moldestad
Achievements in 2015
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Cognitive remediation and vocational rehabilitation projects,
including JUMP study, finalized (PI: Torill Ueland).
Social cognitive training project expanded with PhD student (PI:
Anja Vaskinn).
Long term outcome project launched with PhD student focusing
on neurocognitive predictors and trajectories at 10 year followup (PI: Torill Ueland).
Genetics of attention and effort project expanded with second
PhD student and postdoc fellow (PI: Thomas Espeseth).
29 papers being published in 2015. Group also contributed with
chapter to book on psychosis and society.
Ambitions for 2016
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Continue data collection of ongoing projects (long term
outcome and social cognition training) and publish on
baseline characteristics to secure PhD progress.
Seek research grant to initiate study on ecological validity of
social and emotional processing in psychosis, and to refine
ongoing study of genetics of attention and effort.
Submit two PhD theses from neurocognitive group (on
executive functioning and on cognitive remediation and
vocational rehabilitation).
Ambitionsgroup
for 2016
Re-establish
of research assistants for neurocognitive
assessments.
Recruit new group leader for neurocognitive group.
11 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Animal models
Group leader:
Vidar M. Steen, Professor
UiB
Achievements in 2015
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Explored and consolidated the study of
antipsychotic depot drugs in rat, focusing
on gender differences and experimental
demyelination models.
Developed a new software tool
(RareVariantVis) for visualization and
analysis of whole exome and whole
genome data.
Participated in international consortia, to
define the polygenic background of human
brain structures and cognitive functions.
Group members:
Silje Skrede
Kari M Ersland
Tomasz Stokowy
Raj Bose
Priyanthi B Gjerde
Inger H Duus
Christine Stansberg
Rita Holdhus
Hans-Richard Brattbakk
Marianne Navdal
Jorunn S Bringsli
Ambitions for 2016
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Ambitions for 2016
Examine the clinical, cognitive, psychopharmacological
and biochemical relationships between therapeutic
response and metabolic adverse effects of antipsychotic
drugs in patients with psychosis.
Explore the transcriptomic profiles in peripheral blood in
patients with psychosis (schizophrenia and bipolar
disorder) and health controls, using large number of
samples from the TOP and Bergen Psychosis 2 project.
Identify the biological effects in the brain and peripheral
tissues of long-term exposure of antipsychotic depot
drugs, using rats as a model.
12 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Structural MRI
Achievements in 2015
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Continued the search for biological and environmental correlates/effects to
brain neuroanatomical changes. This year we present findings on
morphological brain correlates from use of prescription drugs (antipsychotics
and Lithium) and tobacco.
We demonstrate that both second- and first generation antipsychotics affect
the subcortical brain in similar way but clozapine does not induce brain
change.
The hippocampus demonstrates field specific changes in severe psychosis.
The first longitudinal neuroimaging study of first-episode psychosis shows
stability of brain change over the first year after psychosis onset.
Group leader:
Ambitions for 2016
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Use newly developed algorithms and software to find
new imaging phenotypes (cortical gyrification,
automated WMHI characterization, Free-water DTI
and myelin mapping.
 Investigate pre- and perinatal risk factors and new
biomarkers for effects on brain neuroanatomy and
function in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
 Use national registry data for detailed evaluation of
pharmacological effects on brain in adolescents and
adult samples. What are the long-term effects?
 Develop and coordinate an ENIGMA for early onset
Ambitions for 2016adolescent psychosis, meta-analyses across
international sites.
Ingrid Agartz,
Professor UiO
Group members:
Erik Jönsson
Unn Kristin H. Haukvik
Ragnar Nesvåg
Tiril Pedersen Gurholt
Cecilie Bhandari
Hartberg
Andrea Raballo
Elisabeth Lange
Kjetil Nordbø
Jørgensen
Lynn Mørch-Johnsen
Kristine Engen
Vera Lonning
Runar Smelror
Stener Nerland
Linn Buenaventura
Norbom
13 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Psychiatric Molecular Genetics
Group leader:
Srdjan Djurovic,
Professor OUS, UiB.
Achievements in 2015
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Several translational studies published and/or submitted
Inclusion of samples for stem cells project and building up stem cells
infrastructure
Infrastructure / platform activities: biobanking, database, sample prep,
QC
3 new postdocs recruited
Identifying the polygenic basis of the human brain and
neurodevelopmental disorders
New national /international collaborations established
Ambitions for 2016
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Produce and further characterize induced pluripotent stem
cells and induced neurons
Intensify disease modelling using stem cell
Extend translational projects
Explore how cortical network dynamics are related to
genetics of psychotic disorders
Improve genetic prediction tools for disease course and
outcome
Further strengthening of international collaboration (eg.
EURICND, CNV ENIGMA, PGC BD,)
Ambitions for 2016
14 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Group members:
Lavinia Athanasiu
Ida Elken Sønderby
Sahar Hassani
Lars Hansson
Elin Inderhaug
Matthieu
Vandenberghe
Agata Impellizzeri
Christian M. Jørgensen
Kristine Kjeldal
Attila Szabo
Associates:
Timothy Hughes
Olav B. Smeland
Mari Tinholt
Pietro Grassi
Mumtaz H. Taqi
Brain Imaging, Cognition
Achievements in 2015
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Group leader:
Kenneth Hugdahl,
Professor UiB
Group members:
Lena Stabell
Galyna Kovalchuk
Lyn Marqueardt
Alex Craven
Geard Dwyer
Liv Falkenberg
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Found positive correlation between frequency and severity
of auditory hallucinations and glutamate concentration in
the speech perception areas in the temporal lobe (Hugdahl
et al., Schiz Res, 2015, 161, 252-260)
Discovered new cortical network, the extrinsic mode
network, EMN, which is a non-specific general cognitive
network (Hugdahl et al., Front Hum Neuroscience,
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00430)
Developed a new app-based method for sampling of
symptom scores on-line, the app will be tested out in
Bergen, Oslo and Turku, Finland
Other personnel
Renate Grüner
Lars Ersland
Erik Johnsen
Ambitions for 2016
Rune Kroken
 Pursue the MR spectroscopy measurements, to include also
Frank Larøi
GABA measurements in addition to glutamate, in order to
Else-Marie Løberg
contrast a major excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter and
Kristiina Kompus
how the glutamate/GABA balance relates to the spontaneous
Marco Hirnstein
onset and offset of auditory hallucinations.
Josef Bless
 Mapping the major neurotransmitters behind auditory
Katarzyna Kazimierczak
hallucinations is expected to be a major breakthrough if the
Justyna Beresniewicz
relation
Ambitions for
2016 exists.
 Initiate new studies on the relation between the cognitive EMN
and the resting-state DMN networks interact in auditory
hallucinations.
15 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Convergent functional genomics and
epigenetics
Group leader:
Stéphanie le Hellard,
Professor UiB
Achievements in 2015
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Finalized the pipeline to test for region based allelic heterogeneity
association across traits. This required development and
implementation of methods for regions based association.
Pilot project for the effect of cannabis of methylation of CpG
islands in the blood of patients smoking cannabis.
Show that regions differentially methylated in modern humans
contra Neanderthal and denisovan, might have enrichment for
association in schizophrenia.
Participated in consortia for the identification of genetic variants
implicated in cognition and brain imaging traits (ENIGMA;
CHARGE, COGENT).
Group members:
Carla Fernandes
Sudheer Giddaluru
Tatiana Polushina
Anne Kristin Stavrum
Ghazal Zakeri
Ambitions for 2016
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Perform methylation typing in a large subset of the TOP sample to
analyze the effect of environmental factors and disease on the
DNA methylation.
Initialize the characterization of the effect of Cannabis on stem
cells from patients.
Characterize the allelic heterogeneity at the region level between
schizophrenia and related traits.
Ambitions for 2016
16 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
International Cooperation
Marcella Rietschel,
Professor at University of
Mannheim.
Michael Foster Green,
Professor at University of
California. Los Angeles.
Terry Jernigan,
Professor at University
of California. San Diego
The research requires close cooperation with leading research environments, both national and
international. The researchers are participating in a series of international networks, and have several
bilateral research programs with international institutions, both in the European Union and in USA. In
addition to this, the Centre works actively to recruit excellent researchers internationally.
The Centre facilitates the exchange of staff between the participants and international collaborators. In
2015 we had 3 post docs abroad, and 4 international guest researchers were associated with the
Centre.
International Guest Researchers
Anders M. Dale and Wes Thompson, UCSD, USA; Sven Cichon, Basel, Switzerland; Frank Larøi,
Liege, Belgium.
Scientific Advisory Committee
NORMENT has established an Advisory Committee of external scientific researchers. Their tasks are
as follows:
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Contribute to NORMENT’s research activity by evaluating and advising on the activities within
each of the research groups of the Centre and by acting as scientific advisors to the Centre
Director.
Contribute by giving an annual lecture at postgraduate level.
Take an active part in NORMENT’s annual Meetings.
Participate in preparing an annual written evaluation with SWOT analysis.
Provide advice to the NORMENT leadership in strategic decisions
17 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
New employees
Olav Smeland, post doc
Idun Huflåtten, project
assistent
Elina Reponen, PhD.
student
Sahar Hassani, post doc
Jon Alm Eriksen,
scientist
Maj Egeland, PhD.
student
Andrea Raballo, post
doc
Tiril Gurholt, post doc
Lisa Jannicke Kjønigsen
Torgeir Moberget, post
doc
Trude Jahr, PhD. student
Asma Asgher, consultant
Margrethe Collier, PhD.
student
Magnus Engen, PhD.
student
Liliana Buer, research
assistant
Torbjørn Elvsåshagen,
post doc
Siv hege Lyngstad, PhD.
student
Aldo Palomera, post doc
Antonio Pietro, bio
engineer
Åshild Maria Eftevåg,
administrative
manager/coordinator
Christian M. Jørgensen,
scientist
Priyanthi Borgen Gjerde,
PhD student
18 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
NORMENT staff
Ingrid Agartz, Professor
Ingrid Melle, Professor
Kenneth Hugdahl, Professor
Kjetil Sundet, Professor
Ole A. Andreassen, Professor
Srdjan Djurovic, Professor
Stephanie Le Hellard, Professor
Vidar M. Steen, Professor
Sudheer Giddaluru, PhD in biostatistics
Tatiana Polushina, PhD in mathematics
Tiril Gurholt, PhD in neuroimaging
Tobias Kaufmann, PhD in psychology
Tomasz Stokowy, PhD in bioinformatics
Tone Hellvin, PhD in psychology
Torbjørn Elvsåshagen, PhD in medicine
Torgeir Moberget, PhD.
Verena Zuber, PhD in biostatistics
Yunpeng Wang, PhD in biostatistics
Senior scientists
Research Fellows/PhD students
Erik Gunnar Jönsson, Professor
Erik Johnsen, Professor II
Ingrid Dieset, Associate Professor
Lars Ersland, Scientist, MR-physiciste
Lars Tjelta Westlye, Associate Professor
Renate Grüner, Associate professor
Thomas Espeseth, Associate Professor
Torill Ueland, Associate Professor
Trine Vik Lagerberg, Senior Scientist
Unn Haukvik, Associate Professor
Beathe Haatveit, MSc
Camilla Büchmann, cand.psychol.
Carla Fernandes, MSc
Christine Demmo, cand.psychol
Christine Lycke Brandt, MSc
Elina Reponen, cand. psychol.
Elisabeth Lange, cand.med.
Erlend Gardsjord, cand.med.
Erlend S. Dørum, cand. med.
Eva Hoseth, cand.med.
Geneviève Richard, MA.psychol.
Ingeborg Bolstad, MSc
Jannicke Fjæra Anderssen, cand.psychol.
Jens Marius Halvorsen, cand.psychol.
June Lystad, cand.psychol.
Kjetil Nordbø Jørgensen, cand.psychol.
Kristina Skåtun, MSc
Kristine Engen, cand.med.
Levi Kvitland, cand.psychol.
Liv Falkenberg, MSc
Luiz Goulart, cand.med.
Lynn Mørk Johnsen, cand.med.
Magnus Engen, cand. psychol.
Maiken Brix, cand.med.
Maj Egeland, cand.psychol.
Margarethe Collier, cand.psychol.
Mari Nerhus, cand.med.
Marit Haram, cand.med.
Nathalia Zak, cand.med.
Niladri Banerjee, MSc
Priyanthi B. Gjerde, cand.med.
Saurabh Srinivasan, MSc
Siren Tønnessen, cand.psychol.
Siv Hege Lyngstad, cand. Psychol.
Tiril Østefjells, cand.psychol.
Core Researchers
Post docs
Akiah Ottesen Berg, PhD in psychology
Aldo Palomera, PhD in biostatistics
Andrea Raballo, PhD in medicine
Andrew Brown, PhD in biostatistics
Anja Vaskinn, PhD in psychology
Anne Kristine Stavrum, PhD in informatics
Carmen Simonsen, PhD in psychology
Cecilie Bhandari Hartberg, PhD in medicine
Dag Alnæs, PhD in psychology
Daniel Quintana, PhD in psychology
Francesco Bettella, PhD in biostatistics
Ida Sønderby, PhD in molecular genetics
Kari M. Ersland, PhD in biomedicine
Kristina Kompus, PhD in psychology
Lavinia Athanasiu, PhD in molecular genetics
Monica Aas, PhD in psychology
Nhat Trung Doan, PhD in medical imaging
Olav Smeland, PhD in medicine
Raj Bose, PhD in molecular biology
Sahar Hassani, PhD in biostatistics
Sigrun Hope, PhD in psychology
Silje Skrede, PhD in biomedicine
19 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Trude Jahr, cand. psychol.
Vera Lonning, cand.med.
Other Research Personnel
Christian Melbø-Jørgensen, MSc
Galyna Kovalchuk, MA.psychol
Ghazal Zakeri
Hanne Smevik, MA.psychol
Idun Bernadotte Huflåtten, cand psychol.
Inger Duus, research student in medicine
Jon Alm Eriksen, scientist.
Kristoffer Grimstad, cand.psychol.
Liliana Buer
Lisa Jannicke Kjønigsen
Malik M. H. Taqi, PhD in molecular genetics
Martina J. Lund, MA.psychol.
Natalia Tesli, MA cognitive science
Nina C. Mathiesen, MA.psychol.
Tale Moldestad , cand pscyhol.
Vilja Bidtnes, cand psychol.
Technical and Administrative Positions
Alex Craven, research technician
Asma Asgher, consultant
Bilal Safdar, economist
Christine Stansberg, senior engineer
Eivind Bakken, head nurse
Elin Inderhaug, bioengineer
Gerard Dwyer, research technician
Hans-Richard Brattbakk, chief engineer
Jeanette Haatveit, admin. consultant
Jorunn Bringsli, chief engineer
Kate Eli Frøland, senior excecutive officer
Kristine Kjeldal, MSc
Lars Johan Hansson, MSc
Lena Stabell, psychiatric nurse
Line Gundersen, nurse
Linn Bonaventura Norbom, technical assistant
Marianne Navdal, lab engineer
Ragnhild Bettina Storli, admin. consultant
Rita Holdhus, chief engineer
Runar Kristiansen, database assistant
Seyran Khalili, consultant
Stener Nerland, technical assistant
Tanzeela Parveen, medical secretary
Thomas Bjella, database consultant
Vegard K. Lillevoll, IT engineer
Øyvind Rustan, scientific assistant
Åshild Eftevåg, admin. manager /coordinator
20 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Activities 2015
Visits Abroad
Agartz, I. Led the Stockholm early onset
adolescent psychosis cohort (data
collection).Within the early onset psychosis
study: visited Scandinavian Child Psychiatry
Units. Stockholm, Sweden.
Aminoff, S.R; Andreassen O.A., Betella, F.;
LeHellard S, Lagerberg TV, Melle I, Aas M.
Meeting with collaborators in the bipolar
research group at University of Paris
(professors Bruno Etain, Chantal Henry, Frank
Bellevier), meeting October, Paris, France.
Andreassen OA, Visited University of California,
San Diego in four periods. Research meetings
and presentations. San Diego, USA.
Hugdahl, K. International project collaboration,
Prof. Renaud Jardri, Department of Psychiatry,
University of Lille, France.
Johnsen, E. Collaboration with Prof.
Fleischhacker’s schizophrenia group,
Innsbruck, Austria; Prof. Stephen Hart,
Vancouver, Canada; Prof. Rene Kahn, Iris
Sommer, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Kaufmann, T. Research stay at the Child and
Youth Psychiatry, University of Tübingen,
Germany.
Kaufmann, T. Travel to collaboration partner at
Max Planck Institute. September, Berlin,
Germany.
Andreassen OA, Visited University of Southern
California, July, LA, USA.
Lagerberg, T.V. International cooperation
seminar psychosis research, September.
Lucca, Italy.
Andreassen OA, Visited EU ImageMend
General Assembly, October. Mallorca
Mäki-Marttunen, T. Research stay in May, San
Diego, USA.
Banerjee, N. Attendance at the ENCODE
User’s Group Meeting & Research Applications
workshop. June 29 – July 1, Maryland, USA.
Melle, I. European College of
Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP)
Schizophrenia Research Group, April, Venice,
Italy and September, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Doan, N.T. Participation in “Bayesian data
analysis” course at University of St. Gallen,
Switzerland.
Gurholt, T. P Collaboration initiated with a
researcher at Harvard University, December.
Boston, USA.
Hellard SL. Attendance at the World Congress
of Psychiatric Genetics, October 16-20.
Toronto, Canada.
Hugdahl, K. International project collaboration
Prof. Iris Sommer, Utrecht University Medical
Center, November. Netherlands.
Hugdahl, K. International project collaboration
Prof. Svyastolov Medvedev, Human Brain
Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St
Petersburg. September, Russia.
Melle, I. European Network Research Negative
Symptoms (EURONES), September Berlin,
Germany.
Moberget, T. Visit to Prf. Richard Ivry, UC
Berkeley, November 15 – December 15.
California, USA.
Moberget, T. Visit to Profs. Daniel Mathalon
and Judith Ford at UC San Francisco
December 11, San Francisco, USA.
Moberget, T. Visits to Profs. Scott Makeig,
Anders Dale and Bradley Voytek, UC San
Diego. December 10, San Diego, USA.
21 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Raballo, A. Research network on Basic
Symptoms (Translating Risk Symptoms for
Psychosis into Neurobiological Targets).
Collaborators: Schultze-Lutter F. University
Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern,
Switzerland.
Østefjells, T. Two researches’ stays at Dr.
Rachel Loewy, UCSF, San Francisco, USA.
Visits from Abroad
Hugdahl, K visit from prof Jardri to Bergen
February. International Consortium on
Hallucination Research (ICHR).
th
Simonsen, C. visits 5 European Conference
on Schizophrenia Research (ECSR).
September. Berlin, Germany.
Smeland, O.B. Research stay at Anders Dale’s
lab in November 20-30. San Diego, USA.
Steen VM. Attendance at the European
Society for Human Genetics 2015 congress,
June 6-9. Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Ueland, T. Visit to Los Angeles for Cognitive
remediation, depression meeting. LA, USA
Melle, I. Lagerberg TV, Ueland T. Professor
Lex Wunderink, associate professor Marieke
Pijnenbord , University of Groningen.
September, Netherlands.
Steen VM. Professor Joris Veltman
(Department of Human Genetics, Radbound
University Medical Center, the Netherlands)
visited us in November.
Vaskinn, A. Visit from international speaker
Richard Keefe.
22 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
New initiative
Patients with mental disorders have higher rates of cardiovascular disease
In recent decades there has been a marked increase in life expectancy in the general population of
western countries. However, this has not been the case for patients with mental disorders. On average
patients with mental disorders live 15-20 years shorter than the general population. This increase in
mortality can be explained both by unnatural causes such as suicides or accidents, and natural causes,
where cardiovascular disease is most important. Studies
show that patients with mental disorders are twice as
likely to succumb from cardiovascular disease. Although
part of this increased risk for cardiovascular disease is
due to accumulation of well-known risk factors such as
smoking, poor diet, diabetes, and obesity, it has been
difficult to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease in
this patient group. This is an important public health
issue that needs to be dealt with.
NORMENT leads new initiative
Researchers at NORMENT have worked extensively on these issues in recent years. We have
together with other European research groups found that part of the increased incidence for
cardiovascular disease among patients with mental disorders is connected with their genetic material
and is coded in their DNA. To understand more about how gene variants can increase the incidence of
cardiovascular disease, it is necessary to have a more detailed mapping of the DNA. Therefore
NORMENT has initiated several national and European collaborative projects, aiming to utilize
information from the establishment of a common database. The database will contain information
about environmental factors and DNA gene variants that will provide new knowledge about the overlap
in causal factors between mental disorders and cardiovascular disease. The plans are to include data
from a large number of people from Scandinavia making it easier to extract knowledge from the
database.
We will utilize the latest developments in analytical methods to map the genome of patients with
mental disorders. The analysis will be performed in collaboration with researchers in Iceland, who
recently have discovered genetic variants among Icelanders that increase the risk of schizophrenia,
other brain disorders as well as cardiovascular disease risk factors. We will expand these findings to a
European setting and test the methodology in patients from other European countries. The project will
allow researchers to detect several types of gene variants which have not been possible using
previous methods. This applies both to gene variants that increase the risk of disease, and how these
interact with environmental factors.
Potentially large societal benefits
The initiative could have major health benefits. By uncovering gene variants associated with
cardiovascular disease and mental disorders, our understanding of these diseases and their
relationship will improve. This information can lead to the development of new diagnostic tools that
make it easier to determine which individuals are at increased risk for disease. It can also provide
researchers with important knowledge for the development of new and better medicines with fewer
side effects that are tailored specifically for different (or individual) patients. Ultimately, we hope that
the project will contribute to reducing the high rate of cardiovascular disease among patients with
mental disorders and improve the life prospects for this large group of people.
23 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Selected presentations
International presentations:
Aas, M. Speaker at the symposium: "The
interaction between early life stress and
genetic background: shaping the brain towards
psychopathology". Society of Biological
Psychiatry’s 70th Annual Scientific Congress,
May 14-16, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Aas, M. Speaker at the symposium: "Patient
perspectives, quality of life and affective
symptoms in the early treated course of
psychotic disorders". 5th European
Conference on Schizophrenia Research
(ECSR). September 24 - 26, Berlin, Germany.
Andreassen, OA. Speaker at NCP. “Shared
genetic background for psychiatric disorders”
Copenhagen, Denmark.
Andreassen, OA. Speaker at USC: “New
statistical approach to polygenic diseases and
phenotypes” Los Angeles, USA.
Berg, A.O. Speaker at the symposium: “Clinical
and socio-cultural measures of insight in
immigrants in their first episode of psychosis”.
5th European conference on Schizophrenia
research, Symposium “Improving
outcomes“ September 25. Berlin, Germany.
Djurovic, S. Speaker at the symposium:
“Improved detection of common variants
associated with schizophrenia by leveraging
pleiotropy with cardiovascular disease risk
factors/lipids” and chair of the session Lipid
Science, Nov. 30- Dec. 2. San Francisco.
th
Hugdahl, K. Keynote speaker 25 Anniv
Conference Bechtereva Institute of Human
Brain. September, St Petersburg, Russia.
Kaufmann, T. Speaker at the University:
“Functional brain networks”, University of
Tübingen, December, Tübingen, Germany.
Lystad, J. Speaker at the symposium:
"Neurocognition and occupational functioning
in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders " 15th
International Congress on Schizophrenia
Research, Colorado Springs
Mäki-Marttunen, T. Speaker at the symposium:
“Modeling of functional schizophrenia-linked
genetic variants on single-neuron properties”
Satellite workshop “Computational biophysical
psychiatry: From genes to systems” of
Bernstein conference, Berlin.
Melle, I. Keynote speaker at Nordic Psychiatric
Association, September. Copenhagen,
Denmark.
Melle, I. Speaker at the European
Schizophrenia Conference, September. Berlin,
Germany,
Nerhus, M. Speaker at the symposium: ECSR
September 24.-26, Berlin.
Raballo, A. Speaker at the symposium: “La
mente prodromica: psicopatologia degli stati
mentali a rischio [The prodromal mind:
psychopathology of at risk mental states” 47°
Congresso Nazionale Società Italiana di
Psichiatria. October 11-15, Giardini Naxos.
Raballo, A. Speaker at the symposium: ”Moody
Minds: Dysphoria and Schizophrenia Spectrum
Psychopathology” Phenomenology of
Dysphoria. 23rd European Congress of
Psychiatry (EPA 2015): "Excellence in
Psychiatry across Europe: Practice, Education,
Research”, March 28-31, Wien, Austria.
Simonsen, C. Speaker at the symposium:
“Early clinical recovery in first episode
psychosis: correlates of symptomatic remission
th
at 1 year follow-up” 5 European conference
on Schizophrenia Research (ECSR).
September 24. Berlin.
Vaskinn, A. Speaker at the symposium:
“Gender differences in neuropsychological
performance in psychosis” the first European
Meeting of Women’s Mental Health in
Barcelona, Spain
24 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Witoelar, A. Speaker at the symposium:
”Extracting the last bits of information from
GWAS summary statistics” for Computer
science colloquium, University of Groningen,
Netherlands
National dissemination:
betydning for somatisk helse, NFRs
forskningskonferanse for psykisk helse og
rusmiddelforskning. Tromsø, Norway.
Lagerberg, T.V. Speaker: ”Hva er det med rus
og bipolar lidelse – og hva kan vi forebygge”
Forelesning åpen temakveld om bipolar lidelse.
Oslo, Norway.
Aas, M. Speaker: "Barndomstraumer og
psykose” Tidlig Psykose Symposium, juni 2.
Bergen, Norway.
Lystad, J. Speaker: "Kognisjon, kognitive
vansker og kognitiv trening". Fagkonferansen Attføringsbedriftene, Kristiansand, Norway.
Agartz, I. Speaker: “NMDA NR2 and cognition
in autoimmune diseases” Academic opposition,
Stavanger University Hospital. Stavanger,
Norway
Lystad, J. Speaker: "Kognitive vansker og
kognitiv trening", TIPS Konferansen,
september. Oslo, Norway
Banerjee, N. Speaker: “Investigating the
implication of human specific methylated
regions in complex disorders” Bioinformatics in
Bergen (BiB) meeting. September 7-9. Sotra,
Norway
Berg, A.O. Speaker: "Migrasjon og
symptomprofiler ved psykoselidelser" Norsk
forskningsråd PSYKISK HELSE OG
RUSMIDDELFORSKNING, Ubehag i kulturen
eller kultur i ubehaget. 2. februar Oslo,
Norway.
Bettella, F. Speaker: ”Genetic Markers of
Human Evolution are Enriched in
Schizophrenia ”Forskerkonferanse om psykisk
helse og rus. Oslo, Norway.
Hellard, SL. Speaker: “Genetics of
Schizophrenia and a pinch of epigenetics”
Bioinformatics in Bergen (BiB) meeting.
September 7-9, Sotra, Norway.
Johnsen, E. Speaker: ” Antipsychotics and the
influence on somatic health” Bergen tidlig
psykosesymposium; Antipsykotika og
Nerhus, M. Speaker: ”Blir vi glade av lys?
Årstider og vitamin D ved psykiske lidelser” Det
Norske Vitenskaps Akademi jubileumsseminar om lys. 11.november Oslo,
Norway.
Polushina, T. Speaker: “Multiple testing
problem in biostatistics” The 18th Norwegian
statistical meeting.June 15-18. Solstrand,
Norway.
Quintana, D. Speaker: Heart rate variability
seminar - Institute of Basic Medical Sciences,
University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Simonsen, C. Speaker: ”Sykdomsforløp og
bedring ved psykoselidelser: miljøets
betydning.” Plenary lecture at conference:
Psykologikongressen. Oslo kongresssenter –
September 4. Oslo, Norway.
Stokowy, T. Speaker: “Detection of causative
variants of rare monogenic phenotypes in
whole genome sequencing data”.
Bioinformatics in Bergen (BiB) meeting.
September 7-9, Sotra, Norway
Ueland, T. Speaker: ” Kognitiv funksjon og
arbeid i Jobbmestrende oppfølging: resultater
over tre måletidspunkt med fokus på kognitiv
trening” NAV, Drammen, Norway
25 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Disputations
Josef Bless
15.10.2015
«The smartphone as a research tool in psychology.
Assessment of language lateralization and training of auditory
attention»
Supervisor: Kenneth Hugdahl
Nasrettin Sønmez
29.05.2015
«Depressive symptoms and cognitive behavior therapy in first
episode psychosis»
Supervisor: Jan Ivar Røssberg
Elen Gjevik
27.05.2015
«Psychiatric comorbidity in children with autism spectrum disorder
– from genes to clinical characteristics.»
Supervisor: Ole Andreas Andreassen
Carla P.D. Fernandes
05.03.2015
«A genetic study of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder – A
cognitive endophenotype approach»
Supervisor: Stephanie Le Hellard
26 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
NORMENT in the Media

Aas M. Media: ”Jakter på hjernens gåter” http://forskning.no/blogg/akademiet-yngre-forskere/pajakt-etter-hjernens-uloste-gater-mot-monica-aas Forskning.no
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Andreassen OA. interview: Gene variants for brain size discovered: “Researchers have
discovered several new gene variants that influence brain volume. We are yet another step closer
to finding the causes of a number of psychological disorders”
http://www.med.uio.no/klinmed/english/research/news-and-events/news/2015/gene-variants-brainsize.html
Berg, A.O. and Nerhus, M. Media: http://forskning.no/vitaminer-psykiske-lidelser/2015/03/tran-ogd-vitamin-enda-sunnere-enn-du-tror. April 07, Forskning.no
Berg, A.O. Media: “Om traumer, dissosiasjon og psykose i et transkulturelt perspektiv”
http://rop.no/artikler/tenk-fellesskap-i-behandling-av-traumer August 18. ROP-TV
Berg, A.O. Media: ”Differensialdiagnostikk ved traumelidelser” https://youtu.be/JH-JkL7LhMs
Berg, A.O. Media: ”Ingen pårørende” http://www.psykologforeningen.no/publikum/blogger/fipblogg/ingen-paaroerende November 19, Blogg Norsk Psykologforening
Hugdahl, K: "De 100 mest produktive forskerne". Nettavis "På Høyden" [Internett] 2015-02-16 UiB
Hugdahl, K: Banebrytende hjerneforskning ved UiB. Katarsis - et tidsskrift for studenter ved det
psykologiske fakultet 2015
UiB
Johnsen, E: Letters to the editor, Klassekampen March 2015; NRK Hordaland
http://www.nrk.no/hordaland/elektriske-stot-skal-fjerne-stemmene-1.12703888
Johnsen, E: Litteraturhuset I Bergen http://www.litthusbergen.no/program/2015/03/schizofrenipsyk-for-alltid/; Tvangsforsk Holmen fjorhotell; pårørendeseminar, pårørendeundervisning
engruppe.
Kaufmann, T. http://www.med.uio.no/norment/forskning/aktuelt/aktuelle-saker/2015/fremragendeforskningsartikler-.html
Mäki-Marttunen, T. “Neuronal modelling for schizophrenia research”, an article for “NOTUR Meta”
magazine.
Quintana, D.: “Mye oksytocin – mindre angst”
- Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association
01/11/15 http://tidsskriftet.no/article/3413518/
Quintana, D.: “Nesespray kan hjelpe psykisk syke” - Forskning.no 13/08/15
http://forskning.no/2015/08/nesespray-mot-psykiske-lidelser
Quintana, D: “Could A Hormone Nasal Spray Help People With Mental Illness And Autism?” –
Forbes Magazine 31/08/15 http://www.forbes.com/sites/emilymullin/2015/08/31/could-a-hormonenasal-spray-help-people-with-mental-illness-and-autism/#4b84301c1d22
Smeland, O.B. Media: “Hvorfor har mennesker med psykiske lidelser økt forekomst av hjertekarsykdom?” http://www.med.uio.no/norment/forskning/aktuelt/aktuelle-saker/2015/hjertekarsykdom-og-psykisk-lidelse.html
Srinivasan, S. and Bettella F. “Schizofreni er et biprodukt av hjernens utvikling”
http://forskning.no/helse-psykiske-lidelser/2016/02/schizofreni-er-et-biprodukt-av-hjernensutvikling
Le Hellard S. Article: “Utfordringer og fremskritt ved genetisk forskning på schizofreni”. Best
Practice Psykiatri/Nevrologi. Desember 2015
Steen VM and Hellard SL. Commentary article: «Hjernestrukturers størrelse har sammenheng
med DNA-variasjon». The Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association», nr. 10, 2015.
Vaskinn, A.: http://www.abcnyheter.no/nyheter/2015/04/08/221620/ni-prosent-av-amerikanere-harvapentilgang-og-impulsivt-sinne
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27 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Publications
Books:
1.
2.
11. Athanasiu L, Smorr LL, Tesli M, Røssberg JI,
Aminoff, S.R., Berg, O.A., Lagerberg, T.V., Melle, I.,
Simonsen, C., Ueland, T., Aas, M. Samfunn and
psykose. Universitetsforlaget
OA Andreassen, M Tesli. Imaging genetics of bipolar
disorder. Neuroimaging Genetics: Principles and
Practices, Oxford University Press, 2015
12.
Articles:
1.
Agcaoglu O, Miller R, Mayer AR, Hugdahl K, Calhoun
VD. Increased spatial granularity of left brain
activation and unique age/gender signatures: a 4D
frequency domain approach to cerebral lateralization
at rest. Brain Imaging Behav. 2015 Oct 21.
2. Agcaoglu O, Miller R, Mayer AR, Hugdahl K, Calhoun
VD. Lateralization of resting state networks and
relationship to age and gender. Neuroimage. 2015
Jan 1;104:310-25
3. Gjevik E, Sandstad B, Andreassen OA, Myhre AM,
Sponheim E. Exploring the agreement between
questionnaire information and DSM-IV diagnoses of
comorbid psychopathology in children with autism
spectrum disorders. Autism. 2015 May;19(4):433-42.
4. Alnæs D, Kaufmann T, Richard G, Duff EP, Sneve
MH, Endestad T, Nordvik JE, Andreassen OA, Smith
SM, Westlye LT. Attentional load modulates largescale functional brain connectivity beyond the core
attention networks. Neuroimage. 2015 Apr 1
5. Alnæs D, Sneve MH, Richard G, Skåtun KC,
Kaufmann T, Nordvik JE, Andreassen OA, Endestad
T, Laeng B, Westlye LT. Functional connectivity
indicates differential roles for the intraparietal sulcus
and the superior parietal lobule in multiple object
tracking. Neuroimage. 2015 Dec;123:129-37.
6. Aminoff SR, Tesli M, Bettella F, Aas M, Lagerberg TV,
Djurovic S, Andreassen OA, Melle I. Polygenic risk
scores in bipolar disorder subgroups. J Affect Disord.
2015 Sep
7. Andreassen OA, Desikan RS, Wang Y, Thompson
WK, Schork AJ, Zuber V, Doncheva NT, Ellinghaus E,
Albrecht M, Mattingsdal M, Franke A, Lie BA, Mills IG,
Aukrust P, McEvoy LK, Djurovic S, Karlsen TH, Dale
AM. Abundant genetic overlap between blood lipids
and immune-mediated diseases indicates shared
molecular genetic mechanisms. PLoS One. 2015 Apr
8;10(4):e0123057.
8. Andreassen OA, et al. Genetic pleiotropy between
multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia but not bipolar
disorder: differential involvement of immune-related
gene loci. Mol Psychiatry. 2015 Feb
9. Andreou D, Söderman E, Axelsson T, Sedvall GC,
Terenius L, Agartz I, Jönsson EG. Cerebrospinal fluid
monoamine metabolite concentrations as
intermediate phenotypes between glutamate-related
genes and psychosis. Psychiatry Res. 2015 Sep 30
10. Arnfred SM, Raballo A, Morup M, Parnas J. Selfdisorder and brain processing of proprioception in
schizophrenia spectrum patients: a re-analysis.
Psychopathology. 2015
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
Sønderby IE, Spigset O, Djurovic S, Andreassen OA.
Genome-wide association study identifies common
variants associated with pharmacokinetics of
psychotropic drugs. J Psychopharmacol. 2015
Aug;29(8):884-91.
Barder HE, Sundet K, Rund BR, Evensen J, Haahr U,
ten Velden Hegelstad W, Joa I, Johannessen JO,
Langeveld J, Larsen TK, Melle I, Opjordsmoen S,
Røssberg JI, Simonsen E, Vaglum P, McGlashan T,
Friis SP. 10 year course of IQ in first-episode
psychosis: relationship between duration of psychosis
and long-term intellectual trajectories. Psychiatry Res.
2015 Feb 28;225(3):515-21.
Barrett EA, Mork E, Færden A, Nesvåg R, Agartz I,
Andreassen OA, Melle I. The development of insight
and its relationship with suicidality over one year
follow-up in patients with first episode psychosis.
Schizophr Res. 2015 Mar;162(1-3):97-102.
Bauer M, Glenn T, Alda M, Andreassen OA et al.
Influence of light exposure during early life on the age
of onset of bipolar disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2015
May;64:1-8.
Bauer M, Glenn T, Alda M, Andreassen OA, et al.
Influence of birth cohort on age of onset cluster
analysis in bipolar I disorder. Eur Psychiatry. 2015
Berg AO, Aas M, Larsson S, Nerhus M, Hauff E,
Andreassen OA, Melle I. Childhood trauma mediates
the association between ethnic minority status and
more severe hallucinations in psychotic disorder.
Psychol Med. 2015 Jan;45(1):133-42.
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33 | N O R M E N T A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 5
Funding
Actual financing of all academic activity at the Centre (in thousand NOK)
Funding agreed in the contract and reported to the Norwegian Research Council under partly
different funding categories.
Own financing
Proceeds from partners to the host institution
Internal funding from partners (in kind)
Research Council (Centre of Excellence grant)
External projects funds included in the contract
10 096
320
16 906
17 500
0
Total financing of the Centre as agreed in the contract
44 820
Financing of projects with academic affiliation in the Centre
Other project funding from the Norwegian Research Council
International project funding
Government project funding and other public financing
Private project funds and other private financing
10 617
1 247
20 500
8 932
Total funding from external projects
41 296
Financing overall academic activity
86 116
Personnel resources FTEs
Professors, researchers etc.
Doctoral fellows
Postdoctoral fellows
Visiting researchers
Technical/Adm. Staff
25.2
20.8
20.2
0.2
15.0
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Design: Jeanette Haatveit, OUS
Print: Reprosentralen, UiO
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NORWEGIAN CENTRE FOR MENTAL
DISORDERS RESEARCH
Visiting Address in Oslo:
Oslo University Hospital HF
Psychosis Research Unit/TOP
Ullevål Hospital, building 49
Kirkeveien 166
N- 0407 Oslo
Norway
Visiting Address in Bergen:
University of Bergen
Haukeland University Hospital Campus
Lab. Building (6th floor) and
Basic Biology Building (BBB; 9th floor)
Jonas Liesvei 87
N-5021 Bergen
Norway
Mailing address:
Oslo University Hospital HF
Division of Mental Health and Addiction
Psychosis Research Unit/TOP
Ullevål Hospital, Building 49
P.O. Box 4956 Nydalen
N- 0424 Oslo
Norway
Phone: (+47) 23 02 73 50
Fax: (+47) 23 02 73 33
http://www.med.uio.no/norment/
http://www.med.uio.no/norment/english/
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