Somatosensory testing in idiopathic scoliosis

Abstract

Sixty‐seven consecutive patients (59 females, eight males; mean age 13.6 years, age range 8.1 to 18 years) with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were evaluated for segmental dystonia, thermal and vibratory thresholds, and cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (cSEPs). Clinically, there were no signs of segmental dystonia. No significant side difference was found in cSEPs and thermal thresholds. Vibration thresholds were increased on the right side with a significant side difference at all sites. However, these changes did not correlate to curve size, rotation, curve type, or convexity. It was concluded that, at the present level of somatosensory testing, no segmental neurophysiological disturbance can be related to the appearance of idiopathic scoliosis. The importance of asymmetric vibratory thresholds measurements cannot be deduced from this study.

Altered sensory-weighting mechanisms is observed in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis

“…In animal studies, scoliosis has been induced by damaging the posterior column pathway at the dorsal root as well as in the thoracic cord [ 34 , 35 ]. Theses observations led some researchers to investigate whether patients with idiopathic scoliosis would respond differently to healthy control participants to a mechanical stimulus [ 30 , 36 - 38 ]. No consensus, however, has been reached.…”

Evaluation of motion sickness susceptibility by motion sickness susceptibility questionnaire in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis: a case–control study

“…In favor of the first theory, investigations in AIS have shown disturbances of the different sensory modalities [5][6][7][8][9]. For example, several authors suggest asymmetrical peripheral disorder of the vestibular system in AIS [6,[9][10][11].…”