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  • Guppies and us!

    http://www.sfu.ca/biology/faculty/br.../research4.htm

    Using the guppy mutant "curveback" to determine why we get scoliosis. There's a scoliosis research centre in Vancouver, BC conducting this research.

  • #2
    Well that was pretty interesting, especially the discussion on quadrupeds versus guppy versus humans when it comes to scoliosis.

    Thanks for posting that.
    Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

    No island of sanity.

    Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
    Answer: Medicine


    "We are all African."

    Comment


    • #3
      Article

      http://journals.lww.com/spinejournal...te_With.8.aspx

      Results. Although absolute length does not correlate to curvature, this survey of length in the curveback model reveals 2 important similarities to anthropometric studies of IS: that there are disproportionate body lengths among females with curvature, and the suggestion of an underlying growth abnormality among curved individuals.

      Conclusion. In order to better characterize the relationship between growth, length disproportion, and curvature in the guppy, further studies are warranted. However, this inquiry further supports the usefulness of curveback as a model for understanding the basic biology of idiopathic-type scoliosis and encourages study of growth-related factors.
      Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

      No island of sanity.

      Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
      Answer: Medicine


      "We are all African."

      Comment


      • #4
        Something Fishy
        The classical cause of scoliosis, or “broken back disease” in fish is ascorbic acid deficiency. Improvements in feed manufacture, including phosphorylation of vitamin C, and feed storage, have decreased the incidence of nutritionally derived scoliosis. Still, ascorbic acid deficiency must be considered as a possible cause of scoliosis and a thorough review of feeding practices is warranted when evaluating such cases.

        http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa096
        University of Florida

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by mamamax View Post
          The classical cause of scoliosis, or “broken back disease” in fish is ascorbic acid deficiency. Improvements in feed manufacture, including phosphorylation of vitamin C, and feed storage, have decreased the incidence of nutritionally derived scoliosis. Still, ascorbic acid deficiency must be considered as a possible cause of scoliosis and a thorough review of feeding practices is warranted when evaluating such cases.

          http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa096
          University of Florida
          The subject research is not about an induced scoliosis as by acsorbic acid (Vitamin C) deficiency. It is not a nutritional deficiency in any way. It is a gene mutant and so is much more closely applicable to IS in humans.

          That is a big plus as apparently all other animal models are induced in some way (nutritional, tethering, etc. etc.). I'm guessing this is a big reason why this research is funded. In fact it sounds like the only non-induced, non-human animal model for scoliosis out there that I've heard of anyway.
          Last edited by Pooka1; 09-14-2010, 09:14 AM. Reason: clarity
          Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

          No island of sanity.

          Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
          Answer: Medicine


          "We are all African."

          Comment


          • #6
            Curvyback is Genetic, Not Induced

            From the citation in the OP...

            Our research introduces the first genetic animal model for idiopathic-type scoliosis (i.e. known to be genetic in nature, but the 'cause' is unknown), with unique morphological and developmental parallels to human IS. Prior to the introduction of curveback, research regarding the causes of curvature and the factors that affect progression of curvature has relied on induced curves in animals such as rabbits, goats, chickens, dogs, mice and rats, and there is some question as to the extent that induced curves can inform the cause of IS.
            It's really quite amazing. Now the mutation that causes scoliosis in guppy may or may not be the same as in humans but it seems like a better start than the induced scoliosis in quadrupeds because it's genetic like in humans.
            Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

            No island of sanity.

            Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
            Answer: Medicine


            "We are all African."

            Comment


            • #7
              It is interesting. Wonder why the guppy and salmon are so unique from other fish. Anyway, here is more info from the National Institute of Health:

              http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2670440/

              A challenge to the gravity thing:
              Importantly, although never reviewed in orthopeadic studies, pinealectomy in the teleosts guppy and salmon induces spinal curvature with a physiological response similar to that in pinealectomized chickens [13-15]. Hence, the conviction that idiopathic-type scoliosis is exclusive to bipedalism and dependent on gravity has been biased by the selection of animals used for study.

              Comment


              • #8
                Just wanted to add my "this is really interesting" comment as well. Seeing another animal with a naturally, and regularly, occurring spinal curve is really amazing. Throws a serious curve to us 'vicious cycle' people, i.e. gravity. I guess this doesn't really mean that gravity plays no role in progression. But what would this mean if the bones are genetically determined to grow asymmetrically.

                I wonder if any of those guppies would be willing to enroll in a trunk rotation strength training study.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Post of the YEAR nomination

                  Originally posted by skevimc View Post
                  I wonder if any of those guppies would be willing to enroll in a trunk rotation strength training study.
                  Excellent.
                  Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                  No island of sanity.

                  Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                  Answer: Medicine


                  "We are all African."

                  Comment

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