Dear Colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure to invite you to contribute to the Special Issue “Advances in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD)” for the Journal of Integrative Neurosciences.

NMOSD is a major inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the CNS with a complex autoimmune etiology that has yet to be fully understood. This disorder has multifocal clinical manifestations and despite its reportedly low frequency, has become a topic of great international interest. Major challenges remain in the diagnosis and management of NMOSD, and its prevalence in non-white Caucasian populations is the opposite to that of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The discovery in NMOSD patients of serum IgG class antibodies that bind to the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4-IgG) suggest this disorder is a different entity to MS. NMOSD is a serious neurological disease that co-occurs with other autoimmune syndromes, thus carrying a high degree of clinical morbidity and sometimes even a fatal outcome. Three evidence-based medications have been approved by international health agencies and these disease-modifying agents are gradually being incorporated into therapeutic schemes. However, the management of this disease is still an unmet need and remains an international concern.

Your contribution to this special issue will enhance and disseminate knowledge of different aspects of NMOSD, including basic research, epidemiology, clinical aspects, diagnosis including neuroimaging, and treatment. Our projected deadline for submissions is July 30, 2023.

Wishing you the best in your professional endeavors.

Sincerely,
Dr. Victor M. Rivera
Guest Editor