Maryam Shirzadi
About
Associate Professor, head of Neurologi education unit and researcher at the Department of Neuromedicine and movement Science, NTNU.
Neurologist at the Department of Neurology, St. Olavs Hospital.
Background
Cand.med. from NTNU in 2010, with postgraduate internship at Ålesund Hospital and in Surnadal general practice. Employed as a resident physician at the Department of neurology at St. Olavs Hospital from 2012, and board-certified neurologist since 2022. PhD in Neurology from NTNU completed in 2020.
Since 2022 board member of the Norwegian Epilepsy Society, the norwegian affiliated of the International League Against Epilepsy, and associate leader since 2024. https://www.epilepsiselskapet.no/). Organizing the Annual Epilepsy Conference in Trondheim, June 2025.
Regional representative for Central Norway in EpilepsiNett since 2021. EpilepsiNett is a national interdisciplinary expert network for professionals and researchers with specialist competence in epilepsy (https://www.epilepsinett.org/forskergruppe). Leads EpilepsiNett’s research initiative on psychiatric comorbidity and mortality in epilepsy.
Engaged in research collaboration with Oslo universitetssykehus and the National centre for epilepsy (SSE), Bergen epilepsy research group (BERG) and Vestre Viken HF.
Research
In my 50% research position, I lead the project IMAGNIFY, a collaborative initiative involving the 7 Tesla MRI centre, St. Olavs Hospital, NTNU, and the National centre for epilepsy (SSE). The aim of IMAGNIFY is to bridge advanced imaging technology with clinical research in patients with focal epilepsy. The project builds on the 7T MRI centre’s close integration with St. Olavs Hospital and creates a unique opportunity to develop next-generation, technology-driven diagnostics and evidence-based clinical understanding in epilepsy.
My PhD project primarily focused on epilepsy and antiepileptic drug treatment, and also included aspects of multiple sclerosis as well as disciplines such as immunology, pharmacology, and genetics.
The PhD project has since been developed into a prospective study in which both children and adult patients with epilepsy who are treated with lamotrigine are continuously enrolled to study the association between lamotrigine and cutaneous reactions. This study is conducted in collaboration with the Department of pediatrics and the Department of dermatology.
We are currently conducting a large national registry study through EpilepsiNett, in which I lead the sub-studies on psychiatric comorbidity and mortality in epilepsy. Other ongoing research projects focus on autoimmune epilepsy, genetics, and the overlap between migraine and epilepsy. I am also involved in research on headache, multiple sclerosis, and stroke at NTNU and St. Olavs Hospital.
Publications
Nye norske begreper for epilepsisyndromer.
Oppdatert anfallsklassifikasjon for epilepsi
2026
-
Hovden, Einar Thokle;
Kielland, Wilhelm Eyde;
Bruun, Synne;
Holmvik, Simon;
Ildstad, Fredrik;
Idicula, Titto Thundiyil;
Shirzadi, Maryam.
(2026)
Screening for undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea in patients with acute stroke or TIA.
BMC Neurology
Academic article
2025
-
Fossum, Maria Therese;
Torgauten, Hilde Marie;
Aarseth, Jan Harald;
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Wergeland, Stig;
Myhr, Kjell-Morten;
Bø, Lars;
Torkildsen, Øivind;
Wesnes, Kristin.
(2025)
Early extended interval dosing of rituximab in multiple sclerosis: A comparative cohort study on efficacy and safety.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
Academic article
2023
-
Roaldsen, Melinda Berg;
Horn, Jens Wilhelm;
Hildrum, Harald;
Ellekjær, Hanne;
Rohweder, Gitta;
Ildstad, Fredrik;
Frøyshov, Hanne Mathilde;
Mathiesen, Ellisiv Bøgeberg;
Robinson, Thompson G;
Marchis, Gian Marco De.
(2023)
Safety and efficacy of tenecteplase in patients with wake-up stroke assessed by non-contrast CT (TWIST): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial.
Lancet Neurology
Academic article
2021
-
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Saunes, Marit;
Reimers, Arne;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2021)
Rash during lamotrigine treatment is not always drug hypersensitivity a retrospective cohort study among children and adults.
Seizure
Academic article
2016
-
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Reimers, Arne;
Helde, Grethe;
Sjursen, Wenche;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2016)
No association between non-bullous skin reactions from lamotrigine and heterozygosity of UGT1A4 genetic variants *2(P24T) or *3(L48V) in Norwegian patients.
Seizure
Academic article
2015
-
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Thorstensen, Ketil;
Helde, Grethe;
Moen, Torolf;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2015)
Do HLA-A markers predict skin-reactions from aromatic antiepileptic drugs in a Norwegian population?
A case control study.
Epilepsy Research
Academic article
2014
-
Thorstensen, Ketil;
Kvitland, Mona Andersen;
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Helde, Grethe;
Moen, Torolf;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2014)
Carbamazepine-induced cutaneous reactions: A simple assay to identify patients carrying the HLA-A ?.
Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
Academic article
2012
-
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Alvestad, Silje;
Hovdal, Harald Olav;
Espeset, Kari;
Lydersen, Stian;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2012)
Comparison of carbamazepine rash in multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Hovden, Einar Thokle;
Kielland, Wilhelm Eyde;
Bruun, Synne;
Holmvik, Simon;
Ildstad, Fredrik;
Idicula, Titto Thundiyil;
Shirzadi, Maryam.
(2026)
Screening for undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea in patients with acute stroke or TIA.
BMC Neurology
Academic article
-
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Alvestad, Silje;
Hovdal, Harald Olav;
Espeset, Kari;
Lydersen, Stian;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2012)
Comparison of carbamazepine rash in multiple sclerosis and epilepsy.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
Academic article
-
Thorstensen, Ketil;
Kvitland, Mona Andersen;
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Helde, Grethe;
Moen, Torolf;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2014)
Carbamazepine-induced cutaneous reactions: A simple assay to identify patients carrying the HLA-A ?.
Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
Academic article
-
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Saunes, Marit;
Reimers, Arne;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2021)
Rash during lamotrigine treatment is not always drug hypersensitivity a retrospective cohort study among children and adults.
Seizure
Academic article
-
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Reimers, Arne;
Helde, Grethe;
Sjursen, Wenche;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2016)
No association between non-bullous skin reactions from lamotrigine and heterozygosity of UGT1A4 genetic variants *2(P24T) or *3(L48V) in Norwegian patients.
Seizure
Academic article
-
Fossum, Maria Therese;
Torgauten, Hilde Marie;
Aarseth, Jan Harald;
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Wergeland, Stig;
Myhr, Kjell-Morten;
Bø, Lars;
Torkildsen, Øivind;
Wesnes, Kristin.
(2025)
Early extended interval dosing of rituximab in multiple sclerosis: A comparative cohort study on efficacy and safety.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
Academic article
-
Shirzadi, Maryam;
Thorstensen, Ketil;
Helde, Grethe;
Moen, Torolf;
Brodtkorb, Eylert.
(2015)
Do HLA-A markers predict skin-reactions from aromatic antiepileptic drugs in a Norwegian population?
A case control study.
Epilepsy Research
Academic article
-
Roaldsen, Melinda Berg;
Horn, Jens Wilhelm;
Hildrum, Harald;
Ellekjær, Hanne;
Rohweder, Gitta;
Ildstad, Fredrik;
Frøyshov, Hanne Mathilde;
Mathiesen, Ellisiv Bøgeberg;
Robinson, Thompson G;
Marchis, Gian Marco De.
(2023)
Safety and efficacy of tenecteplase in patients with wake-up stroke assessed by non-contrast CT (TWIST): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial.
Lancet Neurology
Academic article
Teaching
I am committed to making knowledge accessible to all—whether it be for patients, colleagues, or medical students.
I regularly lecture medical students across multiple years of the professional medical degree programme:
• 1st year (MD4012)
• 2nd year (MD4020)
• 4th year (MDT4042)
• 6th year (MD4062)
I also supervise 5th-year students (MD4051) in their neurology-related thesis projects.
My teaching spans from basic molecular biology, including an introduction to neurotransmitters, to clinical lectures on multiple sclerosis, stroke, and polyneuropathies. I also teach clinical seminars on headache, as well as weakness and numbness as presenting symptoms.
If you're interested in learning more about epilepsy, I recommend the podcast Diagnose, where I spoke about the condition in a 2022 episode:
Episode 32: Epilepsi – Diagnose podcast (St. Olavs Hospital) Also available on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/02Cly5fZmIp02wATlpuNNt and Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/id1438519942?i=1000553279369
Outreach
2024
-
Feature articleAaberg, Kari Modalsli; Vikin, Truls; Brannsether, Bente; Bjørk, Marte-Helene; Syvertsen, Marte Roa; Shirzadi, Maryam. (2024) Nye norske begreper for epilepsisyndromer.
2016
-
Conference posterShirzadi, Maryam; Reimers, Arne; Helde, Grethe; Sjursen, Wenche; Brodtkorb, Eylert. (2016) No association between non-bullous skin reactions from lamotrigine and heterozygosity of UGT1A4 genetic variants *2(P24T) or *3(L48V). 12th European Congress on Epilepsy
2014
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Conference posterShirzadi, Maryam; Thorstensen, Ketil; Helde, Grethe; Moen, Torolf; Brodtkorb, Eylert. (2014) Are HLA-A markers useful in predicting mild rash from AEDs?. Eilat Conferences on new antiepileptic drugs.