Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Genomic Variants and Salivary Progesterone Levels in Female Patients with a History of Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Historical Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is a condition characterized by a three-dimensional curvature of the spine. However, in addition to the spinal curvature, it has also been reported that patients with idiopathic scoliosis can display other abnormal physiologic parameters, such as hormone imbalances, genetic variants, and micronutrient deficiencies. The present study evaluated the salivary progesterone levels, as well as the results of brain-derived neu-rotrophic factor (BDNF) genomic testing, from a historical cohort of patients seeking treatment at a single integrative medicine clinic. Method: A group of female patients with a history of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis was compared to a group of non-scoliosis female patients. Results: Salivary progesterone lev-els were 41% higher in non-scoliosis patients compared to the scoliosis group (P < 0.05), and while 71% of the scoliosis group was positive for the BDNF func-tional genomic group compared to 19% of the non-scoliosis group (P < 0.05). These results were unchanged regardless of menstrual status. Conclusion: These results suggest a potential relationship between salivary progesterone, BDNF, and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis among female patients. Prospective studies are needed for data extrapolation. The current data warrants further investigation.