IMPORTANCE Antibodies to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein IgG (MOG-IgG) are increasingly detected in patients with non-multiple sclerosis-related demyelination, some of whom manifest a neuromyelitis optica (NMO) phenotype. Cortical involvement, encephalopathy, and seizures are rare in aquaporin 4 antibody (AQP4-IgG)-related NMO in the white European population. However, the authors encountered several patients with seizures associated with MOG-IgG disease. OBJECTIVE To compare incidence of seizures and encephalitis-like presentation, or both between AQP4-IgG-positive and MOG-IgG-positive patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective case series of all patients who were seropositive for MOG-IgG (n = 34) and the last 100 patients with AQP4-IgG disease (NMO spectrum disorder) seen in the NMO service between January 2013 and December 2016, and analysis was completed January 4, 2017. All patients were seen in a tertiary neurological center, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, England. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The difference in seizure frequency between the AQP4-IgG-positive and MOG-IgG-positive patient groups was determined. RESULTS Thirty-four patients with MOG-IgG disease (20 female) with a median age at analysis of 30.5 years (interquartile range [IQR], 15-69 years), and 100 AQP4-IgG-positive patients (86 female) with a median age at analysis of 54 years (IQR, 12-91 years) were studied. Most patients were of white race. Five of the 34 patients with MOG-IgG (14.7%) had seizures compared with 1 patient with AQP4-IgG (2-sided P < .008, Fisher test). On magnetic resonance imaging, all 5 MOG-IgG-positive patients had inflammatory cortical brain lesions associated with the seizures. In 3 of the 5 MOG-IgG-positive patients, seizures occurred as part of the index event. Four of the 5 presented with encephalopathy and seizures, and disease relapsed in all 5 patients. Four of these patients were receiving immunosuppressant medication at last follow-up, and 3 continued to take antiepileptic medication. In contrast, the only AQP4-IgG-positive patient with seizures had a diagnosis of complex partial epilepsy preceding the onset of NMO by several years and experienced no encephalitic illness; her magnetic resonance imaging results demonstrated no cortical, subcortical, or basal ganglia involvement. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Patients with MOG-IgG-associated disease were more likely to have seizures and encephalitis-like presentation than patients with AQP4-IgG-associated disease.

Background: The aim of this study was to measure the volume of the medulla oblongata (MO) in young adult Sudanese from magnetic resonance images using ImageJ software. Methods and Results: The study included 36 (18 males and 18 females) young adult Sudanese with normal brain MRI. The MO volume was measured from a T1-weighted MRI in healthy young adult Sudanese using ImageJ software to determine the effect of age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) on the MO volume. The study found that the stereological volume of MO was 717.39±82.31 mm3 with significant differences between genders. The mean MO volume was greater in males than in females (769.2±54.2 mm3 and 665.7±73 mm3, respectively. P<0.001). There was an inverse, positive, moderately significant correlation between the age and MO volume (r=-0.341, P<0.05). In contrast, there was no significant correlation between BMI and MO volume (P>0.05) Conclusion: Our study detected a significant difference between genders in MO volume, which was greater in males than in females. There is no significant correlation between MO volume and BMI. The size of the MO in individuals with normal brain MRI decreased gradually, by increasing age, from 20 to 40 years.

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AimsTo analyse the MRI abnormalities of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-antibody (MOG-Ab) associated demyelinating disease.MethodsClinical records and 165 MRIs from 56 patients with MOG-Abs were reviewed.ResultsThe median age was 29(8–71) years and 52% percent were female. Common phenotypes included isolated optic neuritis (ON)=17, or transverse myelitis (TM)=16, ON+TM =12, and combinations of above groups with cerebral and/or brainstem involvement=11. Seventeen patients (30%) fulfilled NMOSD 2015 diagnostic criteria.All patients had brain imaging and 89% (50/56) had spinal imaging. Common areas of MRI brain abnormality involved brainstem(32%), hemispheric white matter(29%), corticospinal tracts(21%), and U-fibres(20%). Dawson’s fingers were not detected in any patients.Cord imaging showed longitudinally extensive myelitis in 69% (20/29) and atrophy in 4% (2/47). Optic nerve imaging was abnormal in 69% (18/26) of patients, with bilateral lesions in 33% and long lesions (orbital and/or canalicular) in 83%. On serial MRI, radiological improvement was observed in 76% (22/29; median interval- 14 months) and importantly asymptomatic new lesions were absent in 13 untreated patients after a median of 16.5 months.ConclusionsApart from optic nerve and spinal cord changes, brainstem and hemispheric white matter abnormalities are common in MOG-antibody disease. Irrespective of treatment, asymptomatic accrual of brain and/or spinal lesions is uncommon.