ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2021
Disc degeneration spreads: long-term behavioural, histologic and radiologic consequences of a single-level disc injury in active and sedentary mice.
Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.
- Structural changes of the multifidus in animal models of intervertebral disk degeneration: a systematic review.Frontiers in surgery · 2024Pooled it
- Article
- Senolytic Therapy as a Preventive Strategy for Spine Degeneration and Pain.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- What a pain in the back: etiology, diagnosis and future treatment directions for discogenic low back pain.Bone research · 2025Review
- A mouse coccygeal intervertebral disc degeneration model with tail-looping constructed using a suturing method.Animal models and experimental medicine · 2025Article
- Characterization of pain-related behaviors in a rat model of acute-to-chronic low back pain: single vs. multi-level disc injury.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
STUDY
designA multi-cohort, case-control rodent study. PURPOSE: Investigate the long-term behavioural, histologic and radiologic consequences on the complete lumbar spine of L4/5 intervertebral disc (IVD) injury in mice and determine if increased physical activity mitigates the observed changes.
methodsCohorts of 2-month-old CD1 female mice underwent a single ventral puncture of the L4/5 IVD. 0.5-, 3- or 12-months after injury, general health (body weight and locomotor capacity), behavioural signs of axial discomfort (tail suspension, grip strength and FlexMaze assays) and radiating pain (von Frey and acetone tests) were assessed. Experimental groups with free access to an activity wheel in their home cages were including in the 12-month cohort. Lumbar disc status was determined using colorimetric staining and radiologic (X-ray and T2-MRI) analysis. Innervation was measured by immunoreactivity for PGP9.5 and calcitonin gene-related peptide.
resultsNo changes in general health or persistent signs of axial discomfort were observed up to one year post-injury. In contrast, signs of radiating pain developed in injured mice at 3 months post-injury, persisted up to 12 months and were reversed by long-term physical activity. At 12-months post-injury, degeneration was observed in non-injured lumbar discs. Secondary degenerating IVDs were similar to the injured discs by X-ray (narrowing) and T2-MRI (internal disc disruption) but did not show abnormal innervation. Increased physical activity had no impact on mechanically injured IVDs, but attenuated disc narrowing at other lumbar levels.
conclusionsMechanical injury of L4/5-IVDs induces delayed radiating pain and degeneration of adjacent discs; increased physical activity positively mitigated both.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.