title: Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in dizygotic twins with schizophrenia: a case report.
abstract: The pathogenesis of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligaments (OPLL) has not been clarified. We here report dizygotic twin sisters with OPLL of the cervical spine and propose a new pathogenesis of OPLL. This is the first report of dizygotic twins with OPLL. The twins suffered from schizophrenia, which might be related to the pathogenesis of OPLL. In addition, we investigated the occurrence of OPLL in 30 patients with schizophrenia who had been admitted to a mental hospital. OPLL of the cervical spine was found in six (20%) of them, with an incidence almost five times higher than the incidence of OPLL among the general population in Japan. Schizophrenia may have a increased susceptibility to OPLL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Imakiire General Hospital, 4-16 Shimotatsuo, Kagoshima, Japan. shunji@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawabata
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otusji
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imakiire
authors.forename: Setsuro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Komiya
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017887:Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics*; D011859:Radiography; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics*; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic