title: How can we achieve success in understanding the aetiology of AIS?
abstract: A cure to prevent scoliosis from developing does not seem to be available in the near future. Primarily this is because of a lack of understanding of the aetiology of this devastating disease or cosmetic deformity. While extensive research has been performed in this area over the past 100 years many experiments have been poorly designed because they have been developed on the premise that patients with AIS all have the same, single underlying cause despite much evidence to the contrary. Consequently, much of the data in the literature can be challenged and perhaps explains the lack of significant progress. Certainly, the results from this previous research suggest strongly that a new approach needs to be adopted or the same confusing results will continue to be collected and little progress will be made. There are certain areas of research that hold the greatest potential for success in finding a cure. These are identified in this paper and included in a theoretical research laboratory. It is suggested that this laboratory need not be theoretical if modern, cheap communication systems were readily adopted throughout the world and if people were willing to share ideas readily and contact each other regularly. In perhaps an unconventional way, the emphasis of this paper is on finding a cure to prevent scoliosis from developing and uses the area of research into the aetiology of scoliosis as the platform for discussion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bagnall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D035843:Biomedical Research; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000209:etiology*