Brian Weinshenker, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, discusses neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder diagnosis and treatment. With the use of the aquaporin-4 antibody test, many patients can be diagnosed before the onset of optic neuritis. Additionally, with the discovery of the aquaporin-4 antibodies, targeted treatments could be developed. In four clinical trials over the past year, the results have shown dramatic efficacy. Although, not all patients show improvement. Another issue lies in the immunosuppressive effects of treatment which can lead to severe infection. The development of more targeted therapies should increase the tolerability of treatments. This interview took place during the Virtual World Congress on Controversies in Neurology (CONy) 2020.
