Cerebellar atrophy in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease (NMOSD) patients

Clarissa Lin Yasuda,Felipe Von Glehn,Fernando Cendes,Rodrigo Francisco Da Silva Souza

doi:10.20396/revpibic2620181222

Abstract

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disease (NMOSD) is an autoimmune neurodegenerative process which affects the optic nerve and spinal cord in inflammatory outbreaks, leading to its symptons. Newly, recent studies have showed that other structures in central nervous system (CNS), like the brain cortex, thalamus and medulla oblongata are affected too. The increased use of different techniques of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis, such the voxel-based morphometry (VBM), has improved our knowledge about the real CNS damage in NMOSD patients.

Highlights

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare autoimmune neurodegenerative disease, which severely compromises the patients affected, mainly in the regions of the optic nerve and the spinal cord
The term Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Diseases (NMOSD) is used to designate the variety of clinical conditions that can occur in patients, without fulfilling the criteria for NMO, but still with a similar etiology to this disease
The project described below aims to compare the different cerebellar areas of individuals with NMOSD versus a control group, and it is our hypothesis that the affected group present significant cerebellar atrophies

Summary

Introduction

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare autoimmune neurodegenerative disease, which severely compromises the patients affected, mainly in the regions of the optic nerve and the spinal cord. Being a disorder that occurs in inflammatory outbreaks, often the full manifestation characteristics of NMO is not observed initially. The term Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Diseases (NMOSD) is used to designate the variety of clinical conditions that can occur in patients, without fulfilling the criteria for NMO, but still with a similar etiology to this disease.

Results

Conclusion