Overview
Pathophysiology
Transverse myelitis (TM) is an immune‑mediated inflammation that attacks both gray and white matter of the spinal cord.
Transverse myelitis (TM) is an immune‑mediated inflammation that attacks both gray and white matter of the spinal cord. The inciting trigger is often a recent viral infection or a post‑infectious autoimmune response; molecular mimicry leads to antibodies that cross‑react with myelin or astrocytic water channels (AQP4‑IgG in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, MOG‑IgG in MOG‑associated disease). The resulting edema and demyelination disrupt axonal conduction at the level of the lesion and downstream, creating a transverse band of weakness, sensory loss, and autonomic dysfunction.