Expression Of Bcl-2, NOS And Calmodulin In The Paraspinal Muscles In Idiopathic Scoliosis

IntroductionIdiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a deformity of the torso, characterized by lateral deviation and axial rotation of the spine. Although good anatomic descriptions of the structural changes seen in scoliosis were first made by the ancient Greeks, we have not as yet elucidated its pathogenesis. The etiology of idiopathic scoliosis is unknown. There are many conflicting theories on the etiology and pathogenesis of this condition. The paraspinal muscles have been implicated by several investigators as a possible causative factor in the production and progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The role of the spinal musculature in the pathogenesis of scoliosis has been the subject of much investigation. Differences have been observed between the muscle on the concave and convex sides of the curve's apex, although it is still not clear which side reflects the adaptation, or, indeed, whether it is even unilateral in nature. Whether the muscle dysfunction is secondary to the development of the scoliotic curve, or is a primary factor in its etiology, also remains to be established with certainty; proponents of both the consequential and causal schools of thought exist. Answers to the above questions are difficult to obtain.