title: Tonic spasms and short myelitis in an elderly woman--unique onset of neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: Neuromyelitis optica typically presents at a median age of 40-50 years. The myelitis is usually of acute onset, long (>3 vertebral segments) and causes severe sensorimotor and bladder and bowel disturbances. We describe a 73-year-old Caucasian woman with aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica whose index event was intermittent paroxysmal tonic spasms (and no other myelitis features) that recurred for 6 months and was associated with a short spinal cord lesion on MRI. This case reiterates recent observations that neuromyelitis optica can occur in older persons, and its myelitis can be 'short' and clinically mild.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Shahd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Liene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elsone
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mutch
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: David P J
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Katy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, UK.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Anu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jacob
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009187:Myelitis / Q000150:complications*; D013035:Spasm / Q000150:complications*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology
keywords: CSF; MYELOPATHY; NEUROIMMUNOLOGY; PAIN; VISUAL EVOKED POTENTIALS