What a stranded whale with scoliosis can teach us about human idiopathic scoliosis.
Journal
Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
Titre abrégé: Sci Rep
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101563288
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
30 03 2021
30 03 2021
Historique:
received:
15
12
2020
accepted:
19
03
2021
entrez:
31
3
2021
pubmed:
1
4
2021
medline:
3
11
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Scoliosis is a deformation of the spine that may have several known causes, but humans are the only mammal known to develop scoliosis without any obvious underlying cause. This is called 'idiopathic' scoliosis and is the most common type. Recent observations showed that human scoliosis, regardless of its cause, has a relatively uniform three-dimensional anatomy. We hypothesize that scoliosis is a universal compensatory mechanism of the spine, independent of cause and/or species. We had the opportunity to study the rare occurrence of scoliosis in a whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) that stranded in July 2019 in the Netherlands. A multidisciplinary team of biologists, pathologists, veterinarians, taxidermists, radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons conducted necropsy and imaging analysis. Blunt traumatic injury to two vertebrae caused an acute lateral deviation of the spine, which had initiated the development of compensatory curves in regions of the spine without anatomical abnormalities. Three-dimensional analysis of these compensatory curves showed strong resemblance with different types of human scoliosis, amongst which idiopathic. This suggests that any decompensation of spinal equilibrium can lead to a rather uniform response. The unique biomechanics of the upright human spine, with significantly decreased rotational stability, may explain why only in humans this mechanism can be induced relatively easily, without an obvious cause, and is therefore still called 'idiopathic'.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33785866
doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-86709-x
pii: 10.1038/s41598-021-86709-x
pmc: PMC8009909
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
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