TY - CHAP
T1 - Neuromyelitis optica
T2 - Clinical syndrome and the NMO-IgG autoantibody marker
AU - Weinshenker, B. G.
AU - Wingerchuk, D. M.
PY - 2008/12/1
Y1 - 2008/12/1
N2 - Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a severe demyelinating disease of the CNS that preferentially affects the optic nerves and spinal cord, tends to relapse, and results in early permanent disability for most affected patients. A new autoantibody marker called neuromyelitis optica immunoglobulin G (NMO-IgG), which targets the water channel protein aquaporin-4, is highly specific for NMO. The marker has demonstrated that the NMO spectrum of disorders is wider than previously known and includes some patients with single-episode or recurrent longitudinally extensive myelitis, recurrent isolated optic neuritis, Asian optic-spinal multiple sclerosis, and patients with co-existing systemic autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus or Sjögren's syndrome. We review the place of NMO within the nosology of CNS demyelinating diseases, the discovery of NMO-IgG and its impact on the definition of NMO and its spectrum, implications for understanding NMO pathogenesis, and informing treatment decisions.
AB - Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a severe demyelinating disease of the CNS that preferentially affects the optic nerves and spinal cord, tends to relapse, and results in early permanent disability for most affected patients. A new autoantibody marker called neuromyelitis optica immunoglobulin G (NMO-IgG), which targets the water channel protein aquaporin-4, is highly specific for NMO. The marker has demonstrated that the NMO spectrum of disorders is wider than previously known and includes some patients with single-episode or recurrent longitudinally extensive myelitis, recurrent isolated optic neuritis, Asian optic-spinal multiple sclerosis, and patients with co-existing systemic autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus or Sjögren's syndrome. We review the place of NMO within the nosology of CNS demyelinating diseases, the discovery of NMO-IgG and its impact on the definition of NMO and its spectrum, implications for understanding NMO pathogenesis, and informing treatment decisions.
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U2 - 10.1007/978-3-540-73677-6-14
DO - 10.1007/978-3-540-73677-6-14
M3 - Chapter
C2 - 18219825
AN - SCOPUS:39549114410
SN - 9783540736769
T3 - Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology
SP - 343
EP - 356
BT - Advances in multiple Sclerosis and Experimental Demyelinating Diseases
A2 - Rodriguez, Moses
ER -