Intervertebral disc degeneration and regeneration: a motion segment perspective.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics and Regenerative Medicine
• Spinal Health and Biomechanics

Background:

• Back and neck pain represent significant global disability and healthcare burdens.
• Intervertebral disc degeneration is a primary pain source, affecting annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP).
• Degeneration extends beyond the disc to adjacent spinal structures, complicating treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review associations between back pain, disc degeneration, and adjacent spinal tissue pathology.
• To discuss regenerative strategies from a whole spinal motion segment perspective.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of current knowledge on spinal degeneration.
• Analysis of intervertebral disc degeneration and associated pathologies.
• Evaluation of regenerative therapeutic approaches.

Main Results:

• Disc degeneration is linked to endplate, AF-vertebral body interface, facet joint, and muscle degeneration.
• A holistic approach considering the entire motion segment is crucial for effective regenerative therapies.
• Current regenerative strategies are evolving to address multifactorial spinal degeneration.

Conclusions:

• Effective treatment of back and neck pain requires a comprehensive understanding of spinal motion segment degeneration.
• Future regenerative therapies should target multiple tissues within the motion segment.
• Addressing adjacent tissue pathology is vital for successful pain and degeneration management.