Neurological mechanisms involved in idiopathic scoliosis. Systematic review of the literature

Abstract

The literature that explains the neurological mechanisms underlying the development or compensation of idiopathic scoliosis is limited. The objective of the article is to describe and integrate the mechanisms and nerve pathways through which idiopathic scoliosis is compensated and/or developed. A narrative systematic review in different databases of the studies published between January 1, 1967 and April 1, 2021 was performed, using the following terms: “scoliosis”, “vision”, “eye”, “vestibule”, “labyrinth” “posture”, “balance”, “eye movements”, “cerebellum”, “proprioception”, and “physiological adaptation”. In the search, 1112 references were identified, of which 50 were finally included: 46 observational analytical clinical studies-descriptive (between cohorts, report and series of cases) and 4 experimental studies. In the neurological response to idiopathic scoliosis, the sensory-cortical integration of the afferences in the visual-oculomotor-vestibular-proprioceptive systems, allows modifications at the postural level in order to achieve an initial compensation on the sagittal balance and the centre of body mass; however, over time these compensation mechanisms may be exhausted causing progression of the initial deformity.