Inflammation

A system that stages neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) based on damage to astrocytes — the specific brain cells that are attacked in NMOSD — was recently developed by a team of researchers in Japan. While more work is needed, the system identifies four stages, largely based on astrocytopathy…

In most people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), autoantibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4) coordinate a complex series of immune activities that drive the disease. Better understanding of these disease-causing mechanisms may help in efforts to find new treatments for NMOSD patients. These mechanisms were explained in the lecture, “…