Neuro-Osteology

Abstract

Neuro-osteology stresses the biological connection during development between nerve and hard tissues. It is a perspective that has developed since associations were first described between pre-natal peripheral nerve tissue and initial osseous bone formation in the craniofacial skeleton (Kjaer, 1990a). In this review, the normal connection between the central nervous system and the axial skeleton and between the peripheral nervous system and jaw formation are first discussed. The early central nervous system (the neural tube) and the axial skeleton from the lumbosacral region to the sella turcica forms a unit, since both types of tissue are developmentally dependent upon the notochord. In different neurological disorders, the axial skeleton, including the pituitary gland, is malformed in different ways along the original course of the notochord. Anterior to the pituitary gland/sella turcica region, the craniofacial skeleton develops from prechordal cartilage, invading mesoderm and neural crest cells. Also, abnormal development in the craniofacial region, such as tooth agenesis, is analyzed neuro-osteologically. Results from pre-natal investigations provide information on the post-natal diagnosis of children with congenital developmental disorders in the central nervous system. Examples of these are myelomeningocele and holoprosencephaly. Three steps are important in clinical neuro-osteology: (1) clinical definition of the region of an osseous or dental malformation, (2) embryological determination of the origin of that region and recollection of which neurological structure has developed from the same region, and (3) clinical diagnosis of this neurological structure. If neurological malformation is the first symptom, step 2 results in the determination of the osseous region involved, which in step 3 is analyzed clinically. The relevance of future neuro-osteological diagnostics is emphasized.

Associations between the Cervical Vertebral Column and Craniofacial Morphology

“…It is known that the neural crest cells migrate to the craniofacial area before the notochord is surrounded by bone tissue and disappears [55, 57–59, 61, 62]. The jaws, including the condylar cartilage, develop from ectomesenchymal tissue derived by the neural crest.…”

“…The jaws, including the condylar cartilage, develop from ectomesenchymal tissue derived by the neural crest. In the first branchial arch the neural crest cells migrate from the neural crest towards the mandible, followed by the cells to the maxilla and lastly by the cells to the nasofrontal region [57]. Therefore, it is understandable that a deviation in the amount or timing of migrating maxillary and mandibular cells may influence the craniofacial development [53].…”

Dental Approach to Craniofacial Syndromes: How Can Developmental Fields Show Us a New Way to Understand Pathogenesis?

“…Three similar developmental fields exist in the mandible, innervated by different nerve branches, which are connected during development and mandibular growth in the bundle of peripheral nerves named the inferior alveolar nerve [57]. The interrelationship between the central and peripheral nervous systems has been studied intensively in human foetal pathological studies [58]. …”

Regional Aggressive Root Resorption Caused by Neuronal Virus Infection

“…Blue colour (M) illustrates the innervation of maxillary and mandibular molars. This illustration is reproduced with permission from Acta Odontologica Scandinavica [7]. …”

“…Furthermore, segmental odontomaxillary dysplasia seems to occur in regions correlated to the innervation patterns [6]. Interrelationship between the central nervous system and the surrounding bone and the relationship between the peripheral nervous system and jaw bone and teeth have been designated neuro-osteology [7]. A relationship between prenatal peripheral nervous tissue and the initial osseous bone formation in the craniofacial skeleton was first described in 1990 [8].…”