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Published on: August 30, 2019
Bone remodeling is regulated by inner ear vestibular signals
Guillaume Vignaux1, Stéphane Besnard, Jean Ndong
1Vanderbilt Center for Bone Biology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Summary
Inner ear vestibular signals regulate bone remodeling via the sympathetic nervous system. Vestibular system damage causes bone loss, suggesting a link between inner ear health and bone fragility.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Bone Biology
- Skeletal Physiology
Background:
- Bone remodeling is a homeostatic process regulated by the central nervous system (CNS), including hypothalamic and brainstem centers and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS).
- While leptin is a known modulator, other afferent CNS stimuli influencing bone remodeling remain largely unclear.
- Vestibular system alterations occur during spaceflight, prompting investigation into its role in bone regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that inner ear vestibular signals contribute to the regulation of bone remodeling.
- To explore the vestibulosympathetic regulatory component in maintaining bone homeostasis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a rat model with bilateral vestibular lesions.
- Employed microtomographic and histomorphometric analyses to assess bone loss.
- Monitored locomotor activity, metabolic parameters, and molecular signs of sympathetic outflow.
Main Results:
- Bilateral vestibular lesions induced significant bone loss in weight-bearing bones, mirroring microgravity-induced bone loss.
- Bone loss was associated with reduced bone formation and increased sympathetic outflow.
- Locomotor activity and metabolic abnormalities were not observed.
- Propranolol, a beta-blocker, prevented the vestibular lesion-induced bone loss.
Conclusions:
- Vestibular signals are implicated in the homeostatic regulation of bone remodeling through a vestibulosympathetic pathway.
- Pathologies affecting the vestibular system may lead to increased risk of bone fragility.
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