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Optic nerve fiber damage is usually more severe in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) than with idiopathic optic neuritis, based on a clinical measure called visual evoked potential, a study shows. Results also suggest the recovery window after an acute NMOSD attack is shorter, highlighting the importance…

The approved therapy Edaravone, used for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and stroke, may be a promising treatment for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a new study. The use of edaravone in NMOSD cell and mouse models promoted restoration of the myelin sheath — damaged in immune attacks…

Inflammatory episodes in the spinal cord of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) resulted in changes in functional connectivity in the brain, an imaging study shows. Functional connectivity refers to the correlation between brain signals over time that reflects functional connections between two or more brain regions. Reduced…

Measuring the retinal nerve layers by a non-invasive tool called optical coherence tomography may help to diagnose neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), especially in those who test negative for disease-related antibodies, according to a new study. Researchers found that nerve layers in the retina of people with NMOSD…

A low dose of rituximab — infused at 100 mg weekly for three consecutive weeks — was effective at preventing relapses and disability progression in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a meta-analysis of five different regimens. Moreover, treatment with rituximab at this low…

Reaching a neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) diagnosis in the absence of disease-causing antibodies requires careful attention from physicians in order to ensure timely treatment. That suggestion comes from a case report of a man in Nepal who had symptoms of the autoimmune disease but lacked the antibodies against…

Older age, diagnostic delays, and a greater disability at diagnosis were associated with a higher risk of developing permanent disability for people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) at a center in Mexico. “This information is required to design healthcare strategies to recognize and treat patients with NMOSD early…

Age, sex, and spinal lesions may be risk factors for developing pain due to nerve damage — called neuropathic pain — in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a new study. Specifically, an older age at disease onset, female sex, and a greater number of lesions…

Impairments in the visual field — the total area in which objects can be seen in a person’s peripheral vision — were found in adults with optic neuritis (ON) related to neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a new study. NMOSD patients with optic neuritis had more visual…

Women with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who received immunosuppressive treatment during pregnancy or were at least 32 years old when they conceived may be at a lower risk of pregnancy-associated relapses, a systematic review study has found. Data also showed the risk of relapse is highest in the…