Disease progression

A specialized MRI measure used as a proxy of the brain’s waste-clearing system may help monitor disease severity and progression in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), according to a new study. NMOSD patients had significantly lower values of the imaging marker, called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis along…

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) may experience gradual shrinkage, or atrophy, of the brain even during periods without relapses, according to a new study that challenges the long-held view that most neurological damage in NMOSD occurs mainly during relapses. The researchers also found that starting biologic therapies earlier…

Even if they don’t have disease relapses, people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) tend to experience abnormal atrophy, or shrinkage, of the spinal cord over time, a new study shows. According to the researchers, “spinal cord involvement … accounts for significant disability in up to 80% of patients…

Specific nerve damage and shrinkage in key brain regions are associated with a faster time to relapse and worsening disability among adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who test positive for antibodies against the AQP4 protein, according to a study in Italy. Researchers used advanced MRI techniques to…

Newer, more potent therapies offer greater benefit than standard immunosuppressants in reducing relapse rates for people who develop neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) after the age of 50, according to a large, single-center study in China. While people with late-onset NMOSD experienced more severe symptoms at onset and during…

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have significantly higher levels of chitotriosidase-1 (CHIT1), a protein involved in immune and inflammatory responses, in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, a study shows. CSF CHIT1 levels were also significantly associated with NMOSD activity and severity.

Different patterns of shrinkage in the brain and spinal cord are associated with distinct clinical outcomes in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a study reports. Findings suggest that NMOSD patients showing shrinkage, or atrophy, in outer brain regions are more likely to experience substantial physical disability and/or…

People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have abnormally high levels of S100A9, a protein that drives the inflammatory activity of certain immune cells, a study discovered. According to the researchers, higher S100A9 levels in the blood were significantly associated with more severe disability among patients. These findings thus…

A blood test measuring levels of the GPR37 protein may help diagnose neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), assess disease severity, and monitor treatment response, according to a new study. The GPR37 test was also able to distinguish NMOSD from multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders. “Our findings…

More than one-third of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have involuntary muscle contractions or movements, while about one-quarter develop a lack of motor coordination. That’s according to a systematic review of nearly 100 published studies, which found that individuals with NMOSD may experience a wide range of…