MOGAD
Diagnosis
There are blood tests that can test for MOG antibodies. Only cell-based assays are considered reliable for the diagnosis of MOGAD because of the improved specificity over older ELISA tests.2 CSF analysis from a lumbar puncture may show increased white blood cell counts in some patients during a relapse, and oligoclonal bands are not usually found.4
Unlike anti-AQP4 antibodies, anti-MOG antibodies may decrease over time, and may not be detectable early in the disease process or during remission, and this is especially the case for MOG antibody disease associated ADEM.2 Those with persistent detection of anti-MOG may be more likely to have a relapsing rather than monophasic disease course.4
There appears to be no overlap between individuals with anti-MOG positivity and AQP-4 positivity, although there have been some isolated cases reported using the older ELISA assay.3
MRI findings are similar to those with MS and NMOSD, but there may be some differences.4 MOG antibody disease optic neuritis seems to predominantly affect the retrobulbar region, while AQP-4-associated optic neuritis is found intracranially.4 Furthermore, MOGAD lesions in the brain can look like lesions seen in those with ADEM.
(2) Kezuka T, Ishikawa H. Diagnosis and treatment of anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody positive optic neuritis. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2018 Mar;62(2):101-108. doi: 10.1007/s10384-018-0561-1. Epub 2018 Feb 14.
(3) Dos Passos GR, Oliveira LM, da Costa BK, et al. MOG-IgG-Associated Optic Neuritis, Encephalitis, and Myelitis: Lessons Learned From Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurol. 2018 Apr 4;9:217. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00217. eCollection 2018.
(4) Weber MS, Derfuss T, Metz I, Brück W. Defining distinct features of anti-MOG antibody associated central nervous system demyelination. Ther Adv Neurol Disord. 2018 Mar 29;11:1756286418762083. doi: 10.1177/1756286418762083. eCollection 2018.