Spondylosis, Cervical

From an x-ray study of the cervical spine in twins, Bull et al. (1969) concluded that genetic factors are significant in degenerative changes in the cervical spine. Haukipuro et al. (1978) described an extensive set of observations in a Finnish kindred descendant from two marriages of a man born in 1868. Spondylolysis was found in 22 of 105 persons x-rayed. Of these, 6 had also spondylolisthesis, 4 had spina bifida occulta, and 2 had a transitional lumbar-sacral vertebra. Of those without spondylolysis, 7 had spina bifida occulta and 10 had transitional vertebrae. The data were interpreted as consistent with autosomal dominance with about 75% penetrance for spondylolysis.