Cognitive impairment and cortical degeneration in neuromyelitis optica

Abstract

We demonstrate cognitive impairment and substantial cortical neuronal loss with unique AQP4 dynamics in astrocytes in NMOsd. These data indicate pathological processes consisting not only of inflammatory demyelinating events characterized by pattern-specific loss of AQP4 immunoreactivity but also cortical neurodegeneration in NMOsd brains.