Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

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…

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…

During a recent appointment with my general practitioner, I was surprised that I didn’t have to wait. She called my name just five minutes after my scheduled time and apologized for being late, though I didn’t feel that she was. At the start of our visit, she explained that her…

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…

Higher blood levels of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) are significantly associated with shrinkage in certain brain regions of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) who have antibodies against the AQP4 protein, a study showed. This association was not observed in people with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated…

Nearly all adults with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) experience headaches, especially migraines, a single-center study in Iran suggests. The presence of abnormalities in brain MRI scans and the use of the immunosuppressive therapy rituximab were each linked to an increased chance of new or worsening headaches after a…

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is associated with a faster loss of white matter volume in the brain, but taking the corticosteroid prednisolone may help counter this effect, according to a small study in Japan. The brain’s white matter contains the long, wire-like projections, or fibers, that nerves use…

Brain and spinal cord lesions resolve less often in children with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) than with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD), a related disorder, according to a small study. No significant differences in resolving lesions were seen between children with NMOSD and those with multiple…

High-efficacy treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are associated with significant reductions in hospitalizations, relapses, and MRI lesions relative to traditional therapies, according to a recent study. The findings, which were published in the Journal of Neurology, were discussed in an oral presentation at the American…