title: Genetics and pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis.
abstract: Idiopathic scoliosis (IS), the most common spinal deformity, affects otherwise healthy children and adolescents during growth. The aetiology is still unknown, although genetic factors are believed to be important. The present review corroborates the understanding of IS as a complex disease with a polygenic background. Presumably IS can be due to a spectrum of genetic risk variants, ranging from very rare or even private to very common. The most promising candidate genes are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Sundsvall and Härnösand County Hospital, Sundsvall, Sweden ; Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grauers
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neurology Research Program, University of Helsinki and Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Helsinki, Finland ; Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Einarsdottir
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden ; Department of Orthopaedics, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerdhem
keywords: Genetics; Heredity; Idiopathic scoliosis; Pathogenesis