Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Do Adolescents With Idiopathic Scoliosis Have an Erroneous Perception of the Gravitational Vertical?

  • Published:
Spine Deformity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Study design

Multicenter, case-control study.

Objectives

Demonstrate altered perception of verticality in AIS compared with matched controls.

Summary of background data

The cause of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains to be found. AIS is associated with neurosensorial anomalies, in particular, altered control of orthostatic posture. During kinetic activity, the upright posture, in humans, is determined in reference to the gravitational vertical (GV). We hypothesized that in AIS, there is a discordance in the perception of the GV and the true GV. In AIS, the longitudinal axis of the body would thus be misoriented because of an erroneous perception of the GV.

Methods

Thirty adolescents with right thoracic AIS (age 14.23 ± 1.75 years; Cobb angle 31.97°± 12.83°) and 30 controls matched for age (13.93 ± 1.85 years), body mass index, Tanner stage, and handedness were compared for subjective visual vertical (SVV) measured in static and dynamic (optokinetic stimulation) conditions, and subjective postural vertical (SPV).

Results

There was no difference in the two groups, AIS and controls, for SVV. The SPV was significantly different between the two groups (p = .00023). The SPV was shifted to the right for most of the AIS patients (2.13°± 2.22°) compared with controls (–0.08°±1.40°). There was a significant correlation between SPV and clinical frontal tilt in the AIS patients.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that patients with right thoracic AIS have an erroneous perception of the GV. In most AIS patients, SPV was shifted to the right, with no alteration of the SVV. AIS might be the consequence of a reoriented longitudinal body axis aligned with an erroneous vertical reference. The underlying mechanism might involve dysfunction of trunk graviceptors. The primary or secondary nature of this dysfunction remains an open question.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Weinstein SL, Dolan LA, Cheng JC, et al. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Lancet 2008;371:1527–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. De Sèze M, Cugy E. Pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis: a review. Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2012;55:128–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Tang NL, Yeung HY, Hung VW, et al. Genetic epidemiology and heritability of AIS: a study of 415 Chinese female patients. J Orthop Res 2012;30:1464–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Herman R, Mixon J, Fisher A, et al. Idiopathic scoliosis and the central nervous system: a motor control problem. The Harrington lecture, 1983. Scoliosis Research Society. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1985;10: 1–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Haumont T, Gauchard GC, Lascombes P, et al. Postural instability in early-stage idiopathic scoliosis in adolescent girls. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2011;36:E847–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Assaiante C, Barlaam F, Cignetti F, et al. Body schema building during childhood and adolescence: a neurosensory approach. Neurophysiol Clin 2014;44:3–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Barra J, Marquer A, Joassin R, et al. Humans use internal models to construct and update a sense of verticality. Brain 2010;133(pt 12): 3552–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hicheur H, Vieilledent S, Berthoz A. Head motion in humans alternating between straight and curved walking path: combination of stabilizing and anticipatory orienting mechanisms. Neurosci Lett 2005;383:87–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Barra J, Pérennou D. Is the sense of verticality vestibular? Neurophysiol Clin 2013;43:197–204.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Assaiante C. Action and representation of action during childhood and adolescence: a functional approach. Neurophysiol Clin 2012;42:43–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Cignetti F, Chabeauti PY, Sveistrup H, et al. Updating process of internal models of action as assessed from motor and postural strategies in children. Neuroscience 2013;233:127–38.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Pérennou DA, Mazibrada G, Chauvineau V, et al. Lateropulsion, pushing and verticality perception in hemisphere stroke: a causal relationship? Brain 2008;131(pt 9):2401–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Lopez C, Lacour M, Ahmadi AE, et al. Changes of visual vertical perception: a long-term sign of unilateral and bilateral vestibular loss. Neuropsychologia 2007;45:2025–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Borel L, Harlay F, Magnan J, et al. Deficits and recovery of head and trunk orientation and stabilization after unilateral vestibular loss. Brain 2002;125(pt 4):880–94.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Bonan IV, Hubeaux K, Gellez-Leman MC, et al. Influence of subjective visual vertical misperception on balance recovery after stroke. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2007;78:49–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Van Nechel C, Toupet M, Bodson I. The subjective visual vertical. Adv Otorhinolaryngol 2001;58:77–87.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bronstein AM. The interaction of otolith and proprioceptive information in the perception of verticality. The effects of labyrinthine and CNS disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1999;871:324–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Bruyneel AV, Chavet P, Bollini G, et al. The influence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis on the dynamic adaptive behaviour. Neurosci Lett 2008;447:158–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Tanner JM. The measurement of maturity. Trans Eur Orthod Soc 1975:45–60.

  20. Rasmussen AR, Wohlfahrt-Veje C, Tefre de Renzy-Martin K, et al. Validity of self-assessment of pubertal maturation. Pediatrics 2015;135:86–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Oldfield RC. The assessment and analysis of handedness: the Edinburgh inventory. Neuropsychologia 1971;9:97–113.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Bunnell WP. An objective criterion for scoliosis screening. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1984;66:1381–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Pérennou D, Piscicelli C, Barbieri G, et al. Measuring verticality perception after stroke: why and how? Neurophysiol Clin 2014;44: 25–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Bisdorff AR, Wolsley CJ, Anastasopoulos D, et al. The perception of body verticality (subjective postural vertical) in peripheral and central vestibular disorders. Brain 1996;119(pt 5):1523–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Barbieri G, Gissot AS, Fouque F, et al. Does proprioception contribute to the sense of verticality? Exp Brain Res 2008;185: 545–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Bisdorff A, Bronstein A, Gresty M, et al. Subjective postural vertical inferred from vestibular-optokinetic vs. proprioceptive cues. Brain Res Bull 1996;40:413–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Pavlou M, Quinn C, Murray K, et al. The effect of repeated visual motion stimuli on visual dependence and postural control in normal subjects. Gait Posture 2011;33:113–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Peru A, Sebastien Morgant J. When supine is better than upright: evidence from postural effects in extinction patients. Brain Res 2006;1110:175–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Volkening K, Bergmann J, Keller I, et al. Verticality perception during and after galvanic vestibular stimulation. Neurosci Lett 2014;581:75–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Krödel A, Straube A, Angerer M, et al. Spatial orientation and postural regulation in patients with idiopathic scoliosis [in German]. Z Orthop Ihre Grenzgeb 1997;135:203–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Cheung J, Sluiter WJ, Veldhuizen AG, et al. Perception of vertical and horizontal orientation in children with scoliosis. J Orthop Res 2002;20:416–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Cakrt O, Slabý K, Viktorinová L, et al. Subjective visual vertical in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. J Vestib Res 2011;21:161–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Do MC, Brenière Y, Bouisset S. Compensatory reactions in forward fall: are they initiated by stretch receptors? Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 1988;69:448–52.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Mittelstaedt H. Somatic graviception. Biol Psychol 1996;42:53–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Mittelstaedt H. Origin and processing of postural information. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 1998;22:473–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Joassin R, Bonniaud V, Barra J, et al. Somaesthetic perception of the vertical in spinal cord injured patients: a clinical study. Ann Phys Rehabil Med 2010;53:568–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Trousselard M, Barraud PA, Nougier V, et al. Contribution of tactile and interoceptive cues to the perception of the direction of gravity. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res 2004;20:355–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Guyot MA, Agnani O, Peyrodie L, et al. Cervicocephalic relocation test to evaluate cervical proprioception in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Eur Spine J 2016;25:3130–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Le Berre M, Guyot MA, Agnani O, et al. Clinical balance tests, proprioceptive system and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Eur Spine J 2017;26:1638–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Assaiante C, Mallau S, Jouve JL, et al. Do adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) neglect proprioceptive information in sensory integration of postural control? PLoS One 2012;7:e40646.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Jiang H, Qiu X, Wang W, et al. The position of the aorta changes with altered body position in single right thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a magnetic resonance imaging study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2012;37:E1054–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Önder H, Dusak A, Sancaktutar AA, et al. Investigation of the retro-renal colon frequency using computed tomography in patients with advanced scoliosis. Surg Radiol Anat 2014;36:67–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Böhm UL, Prendergast A, Djenoune L, et al. CSF-contacting neurons regulate locomotion by relaying mechanical stimuli to spinal circuits. Nat Commun 2016;7:10866.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Böhm UL, Wyart C. Spinal sensory circuits in motion. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2016;41:38–43.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Alperin N, Hushek SG, Lee SH, et al. MRI study of cerebral blood flow and CSF flow dynamics in an upright posture: the effect of posture on the intracranial compliance and pressure. Acta Neurochir Suppl 2005;95:177–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Grimes DT, Boswell CW, Morante NF, et al. Zebrafish models of idiopathic scoliosis link cerebrospinal fluid flow defects to spine curvature. Science 2016;352:1341–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Patten SA, Margaritte-Jeannin P, Bernard JC, et al. Functional variants of POC5 identified in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. J Clin Invest 2015;125:1124–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Swynghedauw University Hospital Center, Lille, France

    Morgane Le Berre MD & Charles Pradeau MS

  2. Faculty of Sports and Physical Education, Liévin, France

    Anthony Brouillard MSport

  3. Spine department, SSR pediatric center Marc Sautelet, 10 rue du petit boulevard, Villeneuve-d’Ascq, 59650, France

    Monique Coget PhD & Jean-François Catanzariti MD

  4. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Saint Philibert University Hospital Center, Lomme, 59462, France

    Caroline Massot MD

Authors
  1. Morgane Le Berre MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Charles Pradeau MS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anthony Brouillard MSport
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Monique Coget PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Caroline Massot MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jean-François Catanzariti MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean-François Catanzariti MD.

Additional information

Author disclosures: MLB (none), CP (none), AB (none), MC (none), CM (none), J-FC (none).

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Source of Funding: This study was funded by Fondation de l’Avenir (n° AP-RM-16-025).

Our regional review board (Comité de Protection des Personnes Nord Ouest IV) approved the study protocol (no. 2015 A00950 49–CPP 15 64).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Le Berre, M., Pradeau, C., Brouillard, A. et al. Do Adolescents With Idiopathic Scoliosis Have an Erroneous Perception of the Gravitational Vertical?. Spine Deform 7, 71–79 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspd.2018.05.004

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jspd.2018.05.004

Keywords

Search

Navigation