Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

Three months of ginseng tablets taken twice a day lessened fatigue in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial found. Ginseng is a plant that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. “This study revealed positive effects of ginseng…

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are at an increased risk of being diagnosed with another autoimmune disease — specifically lupus or Sjögren’s syndrome — according to a large-scale analysis of inpatient hospitalization data in the U.S. In fact, NMOSD patients had a 12 times higher…

SAB Biotherapeutics has developed therapeutic antibodies — without the need for human donors — that can neutralize self-reactive antibodies associated with autoimmune diseases, such as neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Working in collaboration with CSL Behring, a partnership established in 2020, SAB used its DiversitAb…

Nearly all neuroimmunologists treating patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who test positive for anti-AQP4 antibodies have prescribed one of the three currently approved therapies: Soliris (eculizumab), Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon), and Enspryng (satralizumab-mwge). These are the findings of a U.S. survey that also found most responding…

Blood levels of prolactin, a hormone mostly known for its role in milk production, are significantly elevated in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) as compared with healthy adults, a study found. Among NMOSD patients, these high prolactin levels were significantly associated with active disease, sensory-related symptoms, and…

Soliris (eculizumab) has been approved in China to treat adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, known as NMO or NMOSD, who test positive for antibodies against the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) protein. The therapy — which works to reduce the risk of relapse and ease inflammation among patients — was approved…

Genetic variations linked with cold sores and shingles infections have been associated with the development of AQP4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to genetic analysis. The findings suggest that the herpes simplex virus, which is the cause of cold sores, and the varicella-zoster virus, which leads to…

The rate of disease onset or relapse of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) after a SARS-CoV-2 infection — the virus that causes COVID-19 — is extremely low, at about 1 in 50 million, according to a worldwide review study. The occurrence of NMOSD was even lower, at 1 in…

Symptoms related to the autonomic nervous system, which controls automatic bodily function, have a significant impact on the quality of life of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a questionnaire-based study. All patients in the study experienced some autonomic system-related symptoms, or autonomic dysfunction, and most…

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have elevated levels of the pro-inflammatory protein AIMP1 in the bloodstream, and higher levels seem to correlate with worse disability, a study showed. These AIMP1 levels dropped markedly after anti-inflammatory therapy, but still remained higher among patients in remission than in people…