Recent research has shed more light on the role of heredity in scoliosis.
Recent research has shed more light on the role of heredity in scoliosis.
Although our research into the cause of scoliosis has already produced a lot of important and internationally accepted data, there is still plenty to do.
Utrecht, May 19th, 2021 – It has long been known that heredity plays an important role, but exactly how it is still very unclear. A specific ‘scoliosis gene’ has never been discovered.
Research into the prevention of scoliosis in identical twins
Recently, in an international collaboration with an Amsterdam, a Danish and a Swedish group, we published a study on the prevention of scoliosis in identical twins. It was already known that if one of the two develops scoliosis, it is very likely that the other will also develop scoliosis. In this study, we looked at the exact shape of the scoliosis, not only in the frontal view, but also from the side (the sagittal plane). All twin pairs had scoliosis, which is a strong argument for a hereditary influence. However, only one third had a similar type of bend in both the front and side views.
This study provides more clarity on the role of heredity in scoliosis. Although the predisposition for scoliosis certainly appears to be hereditary, the type of bend that develops apparently depends on other factors as well. apparently also depends on other factors.
Source: The heritability of coronal and sagittal phenotype in idiopathic scoliosis: a report of 12 monozygotic twin pairs.
Schlösser TPC, Simony A, Gerdhem P, Andersen MØ, Castelein RM, Kempen DHR.Spine Deform. 2021 Jan;9(1):51-55. doi: 10.1007/s43390-020-00172-8. Epub
2020 Aug 6