METHODS: The patient was a 30-year-old woman who has been affected to the disease at the age of 10 manifesting the quadriparesis. The patient also manifested optic neuritis twice. The disease became progressive at the age of 27. According to the results of the magnetic resonance imaging on spinal cord, severe atrophy was observed in the cervical and thoracic spine cord. The patient\'s antiaquaporin 4 antibody was positive.
CONCLUSIONS: Neuromyelitis optica is an astrocytopathy disease characterized by debilitating attacks. A very small percentage of patients may suffer a progressive course. According to the reported cases, this progressive course may be completely variable symptomatically, including progressive myelopathy, progressive vision impairments, and progressive cognitive impairment.