A 27-Year-Old Woman Comes to the Emergency Department Because of Progressive

A 27-year-old woman comes to the emergency department because of progressive numbness and weakness in her left arm and left leg for 2 days. During this period, she has also had urinary urgency and incontinence. Three months ago, she had blurry vision, difficulty distinguishing colors, and headache for one week, all of which have since resolved. Her temperature is 37°C (98.6°F) , pulse is 78/min, respirations are 14/min, and blood pressure is 110/68 mm Hg. Muscle strength in the extremities is 3/5 on the left and 5/5 on the right. Upon flexion of the neck, the patient experiences a shooting electric sensation that travels down the spine. Which of the following pathologic brain lesions is most specific for this patient's disease process?

A) Microglial nodules
B) Neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles
C) Perivenular inflammatory cells
D) Spongiform changes
E) Viral inclusions