title: Idiopathic scoliosis and the vestibular system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite its high prevalence, the etiology underlying idiopathic scoliosis remains unclear. Although initial scrutiny has focused on genetic, biochemical, biomechanical, nutritional and congenital causes, there is growing evidence that aberrations in the vestibular system may play a role in the etiology of scoliosis. In this article, we discuss putative mechanisms for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and review the current evidence supporting a role for the vestibular system in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive search of the English literature was performed using PubMed ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed ). Research articles studying interactions between adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and the vestibular system were selected and evaluated for inclusion in a literature review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen manuscripts of level 3-4 clinical evidence to support an association between adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and dysfunction of the vestibular system were identified. These studies include data from physiologic and morphologic studies in humans. Clinical data are supported by animal model studies to suggest a causative link between the vestibular system and AIS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical data and a limited number of animal model studies suggest a causative role of the vestibular system in AIS, although this association has not been reproduced in all studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8057, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA, Hawaslia@wudosis.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Ammar H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hawasli
authors.forename: Timothy E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Hullar
authors.forename: Ian G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Dorward
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology*