The Genetics and Development of Scoliosis

Scoliosis is characterized by a curvature of the spine and affects two to three percent of the U.S. population. Patients and their families are concerned about the prognosis, causes and associated conditions for this disease, but the answers to these questions are still mostly unknown. Recently, research on early spinal development has identified genes that cause congenital forms of scoliosis, and human genetic studies have identified the first gene for idiopathic scoliosis. "The Genetics and Development of Scoliosis" brings together contributions from scientific and clinical leaders in scoliosis and spinal development research.