Spinal movement disorders in NMOSD, MOGAD, and idiopathic transverse myelitis: a prospective observational study.

Background: Retrospective studies suggest that spinal movement disorders, especially tonic spasms, are prevalent in NMOSD. However, there have been no prospective studies evaluating spinal movement disorders in NMOSD, MOGAD, and idiopathic transverse myelitis (ITM).

Methods: Patients referred to a tertiary neuroimmunology clinic for spinal cord demyelination (excluding MS) were evaluated.

Pathological findings in autoimmune encephalitis autopsy specimens from cases of suspected prion disease.

Objective: The underlying pathology of autoimmune encephalitis is not well characterized due to the limited opportunities to study tissue specimens. Autopsy specimens available at prion surveillance centers from patients with suspected Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease offer a unique opportunity to study the pathology of autoimmune encephalitis. Our objective was to describe pathological findings of autoimmune encephalitis specimens submitted to the U.

Symptomatic and restorative therapies in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are a group of autoimmune inflammatory conditions that primarily target the optic nerves, spinal cord, brainstem, and occasionally the cerebrum. NMOSD is characterized by recurrent attacks of visual, motor, and/or sensory dysfunction that often result in severe neurological deficits. In recent years, there has been a significant progress in relapse treatment and prevention but the residual disability per attack remains high.

Autoimmune encephalitis: proposed best practice recommendations for diagnosis and acute management.

The objective of this paper is to evaluate available evidence for each step in autoimmune encephalitis management and provide expert opinion when evidence is lacking. The paper approaches autoimmune encephalitis as a broad category rather than focusing on individual antibody syndromes. Core authors from the Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance Clinicians Network reviewed literature and developed the first draft.

Autoimmune encephalitis: proposed recommendations for symptomatic and long-term management.

The objective of this paper is to evaluate available evidence for each step in autoimmune encephalitis management and provide expert opinion when evidence is lacking. The paper approaches autoimmune encephalitis as a broad category rather than focusing on individual antibody syndromes. Core authors from the Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance Clinicians Network reviewed literature and developed the first draft.

Multiple Sclerosis Disease-Modifying Therapy and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications on the Risk of Infection and Future Vaccination.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is expected to linger. Decisions regarding initiation or continuation of disease-modifying therapy for multiple sclerosis have to consider the potential relevance to the pandemic. Understanding the mechanism of action and the possible idiosyncratic effects of each therapeutic agent on the immune system is imperative during this special time.

Neuronal autoantibodies: differentiating clinically relevant and clinically irrelevant results.

The aim of this study is to compare the rates of clinically relevant and clinically irrelevant neuronal autoantibodies among patients presenting with new neurological symptoms. We reviewed 401 neurological patients who were tested for the Mayo-Clinic paraneoplastic panel from January 2014 to December 2014 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. We divided antibody-positive patients into two groups: clinically relevant (CR), in which a recognizable autoimmune or paraneoplastic syndrome was confirmed, and clinically irrelevant (CI), in which an autoimmune/paraneoplastic etiology was initially suspected but an alternative diagnosis was eventually found.