![]() Phenomenological features of IVD degeneration and facet joint osteoarthritis have considerable overlap, including the destruction of cartilage and other joint tissues, subchondral bone changes, osteophyte formation and reduced joint space. Thus, researchers, clinicians, advocates and policy-makers should consider viewing the burden and management of spinal degeneration holistically as part of the OA disease continuum.Įach functional spinal unit is made up of two vertebrae, one fibrocartilaginous intervertebral disc (IVD) joint and two conventional synovial facet joints. Although the intervertebral disc and synovial facet joint are biologically distinct structures that are amenable to reductive scientific consideration, substantial overlap exists between the molecular pathways and processes of degeneration (including cartilage destruction, extracellular matrix degeneration and osteophyte formation) that occur at these sites. ![]() This Review discusses the pathophysiological aspects of IDD and OA, with an emphasis on tissue, cellular and molecular pathways of degeneration. Emerging evidence from animal models of spine degeneration highlight the interdependence of IDD and facet joint OA, warranting a review of the parallels between these two degenerative phenomena for the benefit of both clinicians and research scientists. Therefore, research in the two fields often occurs independently without adequate consideration of the co-dependence of the two sites, which reside within the same functional spinal unit. Historically, the distinctions between these degenerative diseases have been emphasized. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and osteoarthritis (OA) affecting the facet joint of the spine are biomechanically interdependent, typically occur in tandem, and have considerable epidemiological and pathophysiological overlap.
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