Encephalomyelitis is
inflammation
Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function (Latin ''calor'', '' ...
of the
brain
The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...
and
spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue that extends from the medulla oblongata in the lower brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone) of vertebrate animals. The center of the spinal c ...
. Various types of encephalomyelitis include:
* ''
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis'' or ''postinfectious encephalomyelitis'', a
demyelinating disease of the brain and spinal cord, possibly triggered by
viral infection.
* ''Encephalomyelitis disseminata'', a synonym for
multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting in damage to myelinthe insulating covers of nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord. As a demyelinating disease, MS disrupts the nervous system's ability to Action potential, transmit ...
.
* ''
AntiMOG associated encephalomyelitis'', one of the underlying conditions for the phenotype
neuromyelitis optica
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are a spectrum of autoimmune diseases characterized by acute inflammation of the optic nerve (optic neuritis, ON) and the spinal cord ( myelitis).Banerjee S, Butcher R. Rituximab for the Treatment o ...
and in general all the spectrum of
MOG autoantibody-associated demyelinating diseases.
* ''
Eastern equine encephalitis'', ''
Japanese encephalitis'', ''
Venezuelan equine encephalitis'', and ''
Western equine encephalitis'': a group of viral illnesses that can affect
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
s and humans; collectively termed ''
Equine encephalitis''.
* ''
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, sometimes experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), is an animal model of brain inflammation. It is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). It is mostly used with r ...
'' (EAE), an animal model of brain inflammation.
*
Progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus (PERM) – A kind of
stiff person syndrome.
*
AIDS-related encephalomyelitis, caused by opportunistic
Human T-lymphotropic virus
The primate T-lymphotropic viruses (PTLVs) are a group of retroviruses that infect primates, using their lymphocytes to reproduce. The ones that infect humans are known as human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), and the ones that infect Old World monk ...
type III (HTLV-III) infection.
[S. M. de la Monte, MD, MPH, D. D. Ho, MD, R. T. Schooley, MD, M. S. Hirsch, MD and E. P. Richardson Jr., MD Subacute encephalomyelitis of AIDS and its relation to HTLV‐III infection Neurology April 1987 vol. 37 no. 4 562 ]
See also
*
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling Chronic condition, chronic illness. People with ME/CFS experience profound fatigue that does not go away with rest, as well as sleep issues and problems with memory ...
, sometimes called ''myalgic encephalomyelitis''.
References
External links
{{Authority control
Inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system
Myelin disorders