aka Devic's disease
an autoimmune disease of the CNS which mainly affects the optic nerves and spinal cord
eye pain, visual loss, transverse myelitis causing weakness/paraesthesiae in lower part of body often with bladder/bowel dysfunction, but may cause quadriparesis
dual peak frequency of onset - childhood and adults in their 40's
most have an unpredictable, relapsing course of disease with attacks occurring months or years apart
no current Rx
Dx - clinical with MRI brain not showing MS, while MRI spine showing an abnormality over > 2 contiguous vertebral segments