T he effect of immunosuppression with corticosteroids, azathioprine, mycophenolate, or rituximab for preventing relapses in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) has been demonstrated in case series and retrospective studies. These drugs are currently considered the mainstay treatment for preventing neurologic worsening in NMO. Herein, we describe our experience with pulse cyclophosphamide f...

In this paper we report the application of an extensive database of symptoms, signs, laboratory findings and illnesses, to the diagnosis of an historical figure. The medical diagnosis of Augustus d'Este (1794-1848) - widely held to be the first documented case of multiple sclerosis - is reviewed, using the detailed symptom diary, which he kept over many years, as clinical data. Some of the repo...

Background. Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) attacks are poorly controlled by steroids and evolve in stepwise neurological impairments. Assuming the strong humoral response underlying NMO attacks, plasma exchange (PLEX) is an appropriate technique in severe NMO attacks. Objective. Presenting an up-to-date review of the literature of PLEX in NMO. Methods. We summarize the rationale of PLEX in relation...

We present histological, MRI, and clinical features of an adult patient with relapsing encephalomyelitis and antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Furthermore, we report molecular details of the recognized epitope that is specific for human MOG. A brain biopsy revealed multiple sclerosis (MS)-type II pathology. Some features overlapped with both MS and neuromyelitis opti...

The disease concept of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders(NMOSD) has undergone a significant change over the last two decades including detection Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein(MOG) antibody in patients who are seronegative for aquaporin-4 antibody. Aquaporin-4 positive NMOSD is now regarded as an immune astrocytopathy. Conversely, MOG associated known to target myelin rather than ast...

W hat is the most important moment in the history of a disease? Let us consider neuromyelitis optica (NMO), which was coined by French neurologist Eugene Devic in 1894 for a disease believed until recently to be a subtype of multiple sclerosis (MS). The discovery (in 2004) of a disease-specific biomarker for NMO revolutionized our understanding of both NMO and MS (1). In PNAS, Hinson et al. (2)...

Background. Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a severely disabling autoimmune disorder of the CNS, which mainly affects the optic nerves and spinal cord. However, recent studies have shown that extra-opticospinal are more common in NMO than previously thought. Objective. To investigate olfactory function (OF) in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) versus healthy controls (HC). Methods. Psychop...

IMPORTANCE Documentation of muscle pathology compatible with targeting of sarcolemmal aquaporin-4 (AQP4) by complement-activating IgG implies involvement of organs beyond the central nervous system in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders. OBSERVATIONS We report on a 51-year-old woman who had relapsing optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, AQP4-IgG seropositivity, and recurrent myalgias with...

OBJECTIVE To characterize factors that contribute to symptomatic narcolepsy and excessive daytime sleepiness in neuromyelitis optica and multiple sclerosis. SETTING Japanese university hospitals. DESIGN Case study. PATIENTS Seven Japanese patients whose initial diagnoses were multiple sclerosis and who were exhibiting excessive daytime sleepiness. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Lesions on magnet...