Scoliosis & Epigenetics

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Written by Dr. A. Joshua Woggon, Copyright 2012.

"Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what no one else has thought."

-Albert Szent-Gyorgi, Nobel Prize Winner & Discoverer of Vitamin C

The role that genetics plays in the development of scoliosis remains controversial. While it cannot be disputed that scoliosis does have a familial component (people who have a family member with scoliosis are more likely to have it themselves), the fact that identical twins do not always share the disease of scoliosis emphasizes the role that other, non-genetic factors play in the development of scoliosis.

This topic was recently explored in detail by four of the most highly respected researchers in the field of scoliosis, including the foremost experts on the etiology (cause) of scoliosis, Burwell & Dangerfield, and the current editor-in-chief of the Scoliosis journal, Theodoros Grivas. The article, entitled Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), environment, exposome, and epigenetics: a molecular perspective of postnatal normal spinal growth and the etiopathogenesis of AIS with consideration of a network approach and possible implications for medical therapy, was recently published in the journal Scoliosis, and is the first research endeavor to explore the role of epigenetics in scoliosis.

Epigenetics, while as complex as genetics if not moreso, can be summarized simply as the study of the environmental factors which regulate genetic expression. Through the process of methylation, genes can be "turned on" or "turned off" in response to these factors. Thus, an individual with a family history of cancer and who is at high risk for developing cancer themselves can modify their diet & lifestyle, which will actually re-write their genetic code to reduce their chances of developing cancer.

Due to the gaps in our understanding of what causes scoliosis, the traditional approaches of bracing & surgery can only aim at treating the effects of scoliosis; most notably, Cobb angle. Bracing & scoliosis surgery are mechanical in nature; they do not involve rehabilitation of the neurological systems of the body, and they do not claim to address what caused the scoliosis to develop in the first place. They merely respond to the presence of a lateral curvature of the spine by attempting to force it back into place.

The lack of research on the causes of scoliosis is, in part, driven by the sociopolitical forces which prevail and continue to promote bracing & surgery as the only solutions. In the last decade, epigenetics has revolutionized the way in which we understand many diseases. Unfortunately, this has not been the case for scoliosis, where "there are only sporadic reports suggesting that environmental factors are at work in etiology. [E]pigenetics does not figure in any causal analysis of postnatal normal spinal growth, or in the etiopathogenesis of AIS. This reflects current scientific opinion that genetic rather than environmental factors determine the etiology of AIS in accordance with the genetic variant hypothesis of disease."

In short, there is a very real possibility that environmental forces may play a larger role in the development and progression of scoliosis than genetic factors, but due to the current dogma, this possibility is simply not being explored in the United States.

One of the possible environmental factors which could play a role in scoliosis is "environmental effects induced in the spine by physical exercises." Unfortunately, this was not explored in this paper, and remains unknown and unresearched.

It is not unreasonable, in the face of evidence proving that an individual's genetic risk for cancer can be reduced through diet & lifestyle changes, to propose that an individual could affect their spinal health in the same manner through chiropractic, physical therapy, and other modalities. With the lack of evidence supporting the current mechanical-based therapies, this new hypothesis - based around epigenetics and its potential to empower the patient by emphasizing how what you do affects your health - has no more or less validity than the old, conventional way of thinking.

"The etiologic, and potentially therapeutic, problem is to establish in each AIS [patient], which process(es), in what pathway(s), is/are abnormal or exacerbating the deformity." It is highly unlikely that the cause of scoliosis is the absence of rods in the spine, or the patient's clothing is not rigid or constricting enough. Although it may mean swimming against the current and going against popular belief, advancing our understanding of the cause of scoliosis can only help us to develop better clinical rehabilitation strategies. Despite the past inattention, it is hoped that this new article by Burwell et al will be the first of many to explore scoliosis in a new light, and that the promise offered by epigenetics to revolutionize scoliosis treatment will be realized in the decade to come.

About Dr Kevin Lau

Dr Kevin Lau DC is the founder of Health In Your Hands, a series of tools for Scoliosis prevention and treatment. The set includes his book Your Plan for Natural Scoliosis Prevention and Treatment, a companion Scoliosis Exercises for Prevention and Correction DVD and the innovative new iPhone application ScolioTrack. Dr Kevin Lau is a graduate in Doctor of Chiropractic from RMIT University in Melbourne Australia and Masters in Holistic Nutrition. He is a member of International Society On Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT), the leading international society on conservative treatment of spinal deformities. In 2006 I was awarded the "Best Health-care Provider Awards" by the largest Newspaper publication in Singapore on October 18 2006 as well as being interviewed on Primetime Channel News Asia as well as other TV and Radio. For more information on Dr Kevin Lau, watch his interviews or get a free sneak peek of his book, go to: http://www.hiyh.info.

Written by Dr. A. Joshua Woggon, Copyright 2012.

"Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what no one else has thought."

-Albert Szent-Gyorgi, Nobel Prize Winner & Discoverer of Vitamin C

The role that genetics plays in the development of scoliosis remains controversial. While it cannot be disputed that scoliosis does have a familial component (people who have a family member with scoliosis are more likely to have it themselves), the fact that identical twins do not always share the disease of scoliosis emphasizes the role that other, non-genetic factors play in the development of scoliosis.

This topic was recently explored in detail by four of the most highly respected researchers in the field of scoliosis, including the foremost experts on the etiology (cause) of scoliosis, Burwell & Dangerfield, and the current editor-in-chief of the Scoliosis journal, Theodoros Grivas. The article, entitled Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), environment, exposome, and epigenetics: a molecular perspective of postnatal normal spinal growth and the etiopathogenesis of AIS with consideration of a network approach and possible implications for medical therapy, was recently published in the journal Scoliosis, and is the first research endeavor to explore the role of epigenetics in scoliosis.

Epigenetics, while as complex as genetics if not moreso, can be summarized simply as the study of the environmental factors which regulate genetic expression. Through the process of methylation, genes can be "turned on" or "turned off" in response to these factors. Thus, an individual with a family history of cancer and who is at high risk for developing cancer themselves can modify their diet & lifestyle, which will actually re-write their genetic code to reduce their chances of developing cancer.

Due to the gaps in our understanding of what causes scoliosis, the traditional approaches of bracing & surgery can only aim at treating the effects of scoliosis; most notably, Cobb angle. Bracing & scoliosis surgery are mechanical in nature; they do not involve rehabilitation of the neurological systems of the body, and they do not claim to address what caused the scoliosis to develop in the first place. They merely respond to the presence of a lateral curvature of the spine by attempting to force it back into place.

The lack of research on the causes of scoliosis is, in part, driven by the sociopolitical forces which prevail and continue to promote bracing & surgery as the only solutions. In the last decade, epigenetics has revolutionized the way in which we understand many diseases. Unfortunately, this has not been the case for scoliosis, where "there are only sporadic reports suggesting that environmental factors are at work in etiology. [E]pigenetics does not figure in any causal analysis of postnatal normal spinal growth, or in the etiopathogenesis of AIS. This reflects current scientific opinion that genetic rather than environmental factors determine the etiology of AIS in accordance with the genetic variant hypothesis of disease."

In short, there is a very real possibility that environmental forces may play a larger role in the development and progression of scoliosis than genetic factors, but due to the current dogma, this possibility is simply not being explored in the United States.

One of the possible environmental factors which could play a role in scoliosis is "environmental effects induced in the spine by physical exercises." Unfortunately, this was not explored in this paper, and remains unknown and unresearched.

It is not unreasonable, in the face of evidence proving that an individual's genetic risk for cancer can be reduced through diet & lifestyle changes, to propose that an individual could affect their spinal health in the same manner through chiropractic, physical therapy, and other modalities. With the lack of evidence supporting the current mechanical-based therapies, this new hypothesis - based around epigenetics and its potential to empower the patient by emphasizing how what you do affects your health - has no more or less validity than the old, conventional way of thinking.

"The etiologic, and potentially therapeutic, problem is to establish in each AIS [patient], which process(es), in what pathway(s), is/are abnormal or exacerbating the deformity." It is highly unlikely that the cause of scoliosis is the absence of rods in the spine, or the patient's clothing is not rigid or constricting enough. Although it may mean swimming against the current and going against popular belief, advancing our understanding of the cause of scoliosis can only help us to develop better clinical rehabilitation strategies. Despite the past inattention, it is hoped that this new article by Burwell et al will be the first of many to explore scoliosis in a new light, and that the promise offered by epigenetics to revolutionize scoliosis treatment will be realized in the decade to come.

About Dr Kevin Lau

Dr Kevin Lau DC is the founder of Health In Your Hands, a series of tools for Scoliosis prevention and treatment. The set includes his book Your Plan for Natural Scoliosis Prevention and Treatment, a companion Scoliosis Exercises for Prevention and Correction DVD and the innovative new iPhone application ScolioTrack. Dr Kevin Lau is a graduate in Doctor of Chiropractic from RMIT University in Melbourne Australia and Masters in Holistic Nutrition. He is a member of International Society On Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT), the leading international society on conservative treatment of spinal deformities. In 2006 I was awarded the "Best Health-care Provider Awards" by the largest Newspaper publication in Singapore on October 18 2006 as well as being interviewed on Primetime Channel News Asia as well as other TV and Radio. For more information on Dr Kevin Lau, watch his interviews or get a free sneak peek of his book, go to: http://www.hiyh.info.

mblog

Lucio-Forster A and Bowman DD. Prevalence of fecal-borne parasites detected by centrifugal flotation in feline samples from two shelters in upstate New York. J Feline Med Surg. 2011; 13: 300-3.

Coccidia oocysts in a cat with diarrhea

Fecal samples from 1,322 cats from two shelters and affiliated foster homes in New York were processed for parasite detection over a 3.5-year period. All samples were processed by both zinc sulfate and sugar double centrifugal flotation. In slightly over half of the samples (50.9%), at least one parasite was detected upon microscopic examination. At least 18 different parasites ranging from 0.2% to 21% in prevalence were recovered in the process. The two most prevalent parasites in this study were Cystoisopora species and Toxocara cati (each had a prevalence of 21%). The next most prevalent was Giardia species cysts at 8.9%, followed by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (the cat lungworm) at 6.2%. The remaining parasites were each found in less than 4% of the samples: taeniids, Cryptosporidium species, Ancylostoma species, Cheyletiella species, Dipylidium caninum, Otodectes species, Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis species, Demodex and Spirometra species, Alaria species, and Felicola subrostratus. The study results indicate prevalence determination based solely on fecal examination is likely to underestimate the true prevalence of infection in the population. Many of the parasites detected in the study are acquired by predation, which is even possible in owned cats that have outdoor access or the potential for visits from mice, voles, and other transport hosts (fleas, etc.). These findings would support the recommendations that all pets, even those under routine veterinary care, should have at least one fecal examination and should be placed on year-around prevention for internal and external parasites. [VT]

Related articles:
Queen EV, Marks SL and Farver TB. Prevalence of selected bacterial and parasitic agents in feces from diarrheic and healthy control cats from Northern California. J Vet Intern Med. 2012; 26: 54-60.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Sign up for our e-newsletter

Lucio-Forster A and Bowman DD. Prevalence of fecal-borne parasites detected by centrifugal flotation in feline samples from two shelters in upstate New York. J Feline Med Surg. 2011; 13: 300-3.

Coccidia oocysts in a cat with diarrhea

Fecal samples from 1,322 cats from two shelters and affiliated foster homes in New York were processed for parasite detection over a 3.5-year period. All samples were processed by both zinc sulfate and sugar double centrifugal flotation. In slightly over half of the samples (50.9%), at least one parasite was detected upon microscopic examination. At least 18 different parasites ranging from 0.2% to 21% in prevalence were recovered in the process. The two most prevalent parasites in this study were Cystoisopora species and Toxocara cati (each had a prevalence of 21%). The next most prevalent was Giardia species cysts at 8.9%, followed by Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (the cat lungworm) at 6.2%. The remaining parasites were each found in less than 4% of the samples: taeniids, Cryptosporidium species, Ancylostoma species, Cheyletiella species, Dipylidium caninum, Otodectes species, Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis species, Demodex and Spirometra species, Alaria species, and Felicola subrostratus. The study results indicate prevalence determination based solely on fecal examination is likely to underestimate the true prevalence of infection in the population. Many of the parasites detected in the study are acquired by predation, which is even possible in owned cats that have outdoor access or the potential for visits from mice, voles, and other transport hosts (fleas, etc.). These findings would support the recommendations that all pets, even those under routine veterinary care, should have at least one fecal examination and should be placed on year-around prevention for internal and external parasites. [VT]

Related articles:
Queen EV, Marks SL and Farver TB. Prevalence of selected bacterial and parasitic agents in feces from diarrheic and healthy control cats from Northern California. J Vet Intern Med. 2012; 26: 54-60.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Sign up for our e-newsletter

mblog

By Chris Thompson

Ripped at 68

At age 68, Tony O’Connor is as sharp mentally as he is physically. A retired engineer, he has been a competitive bodybuilder and personal trainer for 47 years. He is quick to tell you he is still learning and goes online every day to do research to better serve his clients.

His clients range in age from 10 to 85. O’Connor likes to say, “It is never too soon or never too late.”

With a diverse client base, O’Connor adheres to doctors’ instructions and adapts his training sessions to accommodate clients with shoulder or back injuries, scoliosis, diabetes, pregnancy, etc.

Cheri Acreed, 62, was diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica, which causes musculoskeletal pain. She has taken several serious falls and attributes no broken bones to the flexibility and lean muscle mass she has developed while training with O’Connor.

“Since being diagnosed two years ago, Tony is the best thing that has happened to me physically and mentally,” Acreed says.

Originally from Birmingham, England, O’Connor weighed 125 lbs. at age 20. That was in 1963, and there were only gyms for boxing in England at that time — weightliftng was not an option. So he bought a small set of weights, began lifting on his own and never looked back.

He has won more competitions than we could list here, including at age 65, when he won the Bodybuilders.com “Over 40 Amateur of the Year.” This competition included male competitive bodybuilders from 16 countries.

O’Connor and his wife, Mary Ann, promote the Southern Isles Bodybuilding, Figure and Wheelchair Championships that take place annually in Savannah. For more information, go to southernislesbb.com.

Asked about weightlifting for seniors, O’Connor explained that people begin to lose lean muscle mass at age 35. Cardio is important, but weight bearing exercises promote lean muscle mass and are good for the heart and bones.

O’Connor says nutrition is different for everyone. He specializes in personal nutrition programs by balancing proteins and carbohydrates to feed lean muscle. When preparing for a bodybuilding competition, he manipulates his own diet to reach 2 percent body fat.

He says most people think they drink enough water, but they don’t. Drinking the right amount of water is key to building lean muscle and losing water weight.

O’Connor’s physique and accomplishments can be intimidating, but he’s actually a nice guy. If you are intimidated by physical fitness, his advice is: “Set a small goal and reach it. Then set another small goal and another. You will achieve lean muscle mass and lose body fat no matter your age or physical capabilities.”

If you want more information about O’Connor’s personal workout log, visitwww.bodybuilding.com and search for Tony O’Connor. You can contact O’Connor at the Islands Family YMCA, 912-897-1192.

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Many adults do not exercise because
of age and illness when, in fact, exercise may be the best medicine for you.
Research shows exercise can help
boost heart health, maintain a healthy
mind and body, keep joints flexible
and improve balance to minimize falls.
In our “Age is Just a Number” series,
we will introduce you to Hot ’n’ Healthy seniors who will inspire you whether you
are young or old.