Two nerve conditions
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks myelin, the outside layer of nerve cells.
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is also an immune system attack. However, in this condition, the attack is focused only on the central nervous system (CNS). It’s sometimes just called neuromyelitis or Devic’s disease.
NMO is a rare disease that damages the optic nerve, brain stem, and the spinal cord. The cause of NMO is an immune system attack on a protein in the CNS called aquaporin-4.
It leads to optic neuritis, which causes pain in the eyes and loss of vision. Other symptoms can include muscle weakness, numbness, and bladder control problems.
To diagnose NMO, doctors use MRI scans or check spinal fluid. NMO can be diagnosed with a blood test for the aquaporin-4 antibody.
In the past, doctors thought that NMO didn’t attack the brain. But as they learn more about NMO, they now believe that brain attacks can occur.
Because NMO is so similar to MS, scientists previously believed it might be a form of MS.
However, scientific consensus now distinguishes NMO from MS and groups it with related syndromes under the unifying term “neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).”
The Cleveland Clinic reports that NMO attacks do more harm than MS does to certain parts of the body. The clinic also points out that NMO doesn’t respond to some of the drugs that help relieve MS symptoms.
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