Jes Olesen
Jes Olesen
Jes Olesen studied at the University at Copenhagen and defended his doctoral thesis on human brain blood flow there. His neurological education included a residency at Cornell Medical School, New York, and a volunteer period at the National Hospital Queen Square, London. He founded and for many years led the Danish Headache Center where he is still an attending physician. He is also a professor of neurology at the University of Copenhagen and a chief physician at the Danish Headache Center, Rigshospitalet Glostrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jes Olesen is the father of the International Headache Classification and has identified several signalling mechanisms in migraine leading to new drug targets and registered drugs.
In his thesis he showed for the first time in humans that physical activity increased blood flow in the relevant brain area. The relation between brain function and brain blood flow has subsequently developed to an avenue of science but Jes Olesen did not pursue that path. Instead he first showed that cortical spreading depression is the likely physiologic mechanism of the migraine aura. Next, he developed a human provocation model and showed the crucial importance of nitric oxide, calcitonin-gene related peptide and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide in migraine mechanisms. Likewise, an increase in second messengers cyclic guanylyl monophosphate and cyclic adenylyl monophosphate activated migraine mechanisms. More recently he continues his work in animal models of migraine and in the exploration of migraine genetics. Along with his scientific work he has also initiated and chaired the International Classification of Headache Disorders and has been the prime mover organizing the European Federation of Neurological Society and the European Brain Council.
Brain Prize winner of 2021 for their groundbreaking work on the causes and treatment of migraine
The Brain Prize 2021 is also awarded to:
