[Neuromyelitis optica/Devic's syndrome: new perspectives]

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or Devic's syndrome is a severe demyelinating disease of the central nervous system involving preferentially the optic nerves and the spinal cord. Until recently, NMO was described as an atypical multiple sclerosis IMS), characterized by an unusual clinical presentation, a severe relapsing progression, and a poor response to usual MS treatments. The recent discovery of the so-called NMO-IgG, a highly NMO-specific antibody directed against the blood brain barrier and the aquaporine-4, allowed to refine diagnostic criteria and to classify this disease as an autoimmune channelopathy. According to this recent advance, early diagnostic and specific treatment targeting the humoral response should be considered.