Our research includes projects on degenerative, traumatic, and neoplastic conditions of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.

Core activities include prospective cohort studies, randomized controlled trials, registry research, and radiological analyses.

The group is part of the research structure at the Division of Clinical Neuroscience at OUH and UiO and supports early-career researchers, promotes interdisciplinary collaboration. We aim to improve clinical outcomes through evidence-based care. 

The group wants to develop and advance clinically relevant studies that contribute to improved diagnostics, treatment selection, and long-term follow-up in spinal disorders.

A key objective is to integrate research into clinical practice, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and foster a culture of scientific thinking throughout all stages of the patient care pathway.

We are committed to the education and supervision of PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows, and to ensuring sustainable recruitment of research-oriented physicians.

The group seeks to obtain external funding for large multicenter studies and to serve as a natural partner in international research consortia on the treatment of spinal conditions.

Projects

  • Surgical versus Nonsurgical Treatment for Cervical Radiculopathy: Long-Term Follow-Up and Secondary Analyses of RCT Data
  • Motor Cortex Stimulation in patients with spinal cord injury
  • Experimental models for spinal cord injury

Cooperation

The group works closely with Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Radiology, and Neurology at OUS and UiO.

We have interdisciplinary collaboration through previous and ongoing studies, especially in diagnostics, treatment choices, and follow-up in cervical radiculopathy and other spinal disorders.

The group also has contact with national and international collaborators in spinal neurosurgery and rehabilitation.

Selected publications

  • Taso M, Sommernes JH, Sundseth J, Pripp AH, Bjorland S, Engebretsen KB, Kolstad F, Zwart JA, Brox JI.
    Surgical versus Nonsurgical Treatment for Cervical Radiculopathy.
    NEJM Evid. 2025;4(4):EVIDoa2400404.
    DOI: 10.1056/EVIDoa2400404
  • Rizvi SAM, Linnerud H, Rønning PA, Brommeland T, Aarhus M, Mirzamohammadi J, Harr ME, Stenset VTV, Evjensvold M, Helseth E.
    Traumatic odontoid fracture – Proposal of a treatment algorithm.
    Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2025;254:108951.
    DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2025.108951
  • Brommeland T, Strøm M, Mirzamohammadi J, Glott T, Linnerud H, Rønning PA, Rizvi SAM, et al.
    Traumatic cervical spinal cord injury in southeastern Norway.
    Front Neurol. 2024;15:1452194.
    DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1452194
  • Engebretsen KB, Taso M, Bjorland S, Jenssen HK, Skaara HE, Brox JI.
    A functional intervention within a cognitive approach to chronic cervical radiculopathy.
    BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024;25(1):629.
    DOI: 10.1186/s12891-024-07743-0
  • Rydning PNF, Linnerud H, Mirzamohammadi J, Brommeland T, et al.
    Decreasing incidence of cervical spine fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
    Spine J. 2024;24(8):1502–1509.
    DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2024.03.004
  • Aarhus M, Mirzamohammadi J, Rønning PA, Strøm M, Glott T, Rizvi SAM, et al.
    Time from injury to acute surgery for patients with traumatic cervical spinal cord injury.
    Front Neurol. 2024;15:1420530.
    DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1420530
  • Netteland DF, Aarhus M, Sandset EC, Padayachy L, Helseth E, Brekken R.
    Noninvasive Assessment of Intracranial Pressure: Deformability Index.
    Neurocrit Care. 2024;41(2):479–488.
    DOI: 10.1007/s12028-024-01955-x
  • Ziesmann M, Byerly S, Yeh DD, Brommeland T, et al.
    Establishing a core outcome set for blunt cerebrovascular injury.
    Trauma Surg Acute Care Open. 2023;8(1):e001017.
    DOI: 10.1136/tsaco-2022-001017
  • Switlyk MD, Niehusmann P, Sprauten M, Magelssen H, Aarhus M, Rasmussen FØ, Knutstad K, Brandal P.
    Neurosarcoidosis resembling multiple meningiomas.
    Acta Radiol Open. 2021;10(7):20584601211036550.
    DOI: 10.1177/20584601211036550
  • Rizvi SAM, Helseth E, Aarhus M, Harr ME, Mirzamohammadi J, et al.
    Favorable prognosis with nonsurgical management of type III acute odontoid fractures.
    Spine J. 2021;21(7):1149–1158.
    DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2021.02.003
  • Utheim NC, Helseth E, Stroem M, Rydning P, Mejlænder-Evjensvold M, Glott T, et al.
    Epidemiology of traumatic cervical spinal fractures in a general Norwegian population.
    Inj Epidemiol. 2022;9(1):10.
    DOI: 10.1186/s40621-022-00374-w
  • Taso M, Sommernes JH, Bjorland S, Zwart JA, Engebretsen KB, Sundseth J, Pripp AH, Kolstad F, Brox JI.
    What is success of treatment?
  • Eur Spine J. 2022;31(10):2761–2768.
    DOI: 10.1007/s00586-022-07234-7
  • Bjorland S, Røe C, Moen A, Schistad E, Mahmood A, Gjerstad J.
    Genetic predictors of recovery in low back and lumbar radicular pain.
    Pain. 2017;158(8):1456–1460.
    DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000934
  • Formo M, Halvorsen CM, Dahlberg D, Brommeland T, et al.
    Minimally Invasive Microsurgical Resection of Primary, Intradural Spinal Tumors.
  • Neurosurgery. 2018;82(3):365–371.
    DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyx253
  • Fredø HL, Rizvi SA, Rezai M, Rønning P, Lied B, Helseth E.
    Complications and long-term outcomes after open surgery for traumatic subaxial cervical spine fractures.
    BMC Surg. 2016;16:56.
    DOI: 10.1186/s12893-016-0172-z