Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Skalski M, Bell D, Rock P, et al. Camptocormia. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-43999
Camptocormia, also known as bent spine syndrome or cyphose hystérique, is a rare syndrome characterized by involuntary flexion of the thoracolumbar spine with weight-bearing which reduces when lying down, and is due to isolated atrophy of the paraspinal muscles.
In a small case series (n=16), 2/3 patients Parkinson disease, however camptocormia is only seen in ~10% of Parkinson patients 7,10.
Associations
These conditions may be associated 9:
In just under half of patients the condition may be idiopathic 2,9
Marked thoracolumbar kyphosis, usually worse when upright (vs supine) or ambulatory. Back pain is common however a significant number of patients are asymptomatic 10.
Recent research suggests that - at least in Parkinson disease - the problem originates centrally in the brain, and not at the level of the muscles themselves. The condition may arise due to a dysfunction in proprioception 7.
MRI
Diffuse isolated atrophy and fatty replacement of the paraspinal muscles, with high T1 and T2 signal which suppresses on fat-saturated sequences
History and etymology
Camptocormia was first described in 1815 by Earle, and the original case descriptions of the shaking palsy in 1817 by James Parkinson (1755-1824) 8 included this phenomenon 7.
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1. Yallapa, S, Bashir, O, Sheik, M. A rare case of Camptocormia (bent spine syndrome). EuroRad teaching files. doi:10.1594/EURORAD/CASE.9543
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2. Ghosh PS, Milone M. Camptocormia as presenting manifestation of a spectrum of myopathic disorders. Muscle Nerve. 2015;52 (6): 1008-12. doi:10.1002/mus.24689 - Pubmed citation
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3. Melamed E, Djaldetti R. Camptocormia in Parkinson's disease. J. Neurol. 2006;253 Suppl 7 (S7): VII14-16. doi:10.1007/s00415-006-7004-5 - Pubmed citation
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4. Lenoir T, Guedj N, Boulu P et-al. Camptocormia: the bent spine syndrome, an update. Eur Spine J. 2010;19 (8): 1229-37. doi:10.1007/s00586-010-1370-5 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
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5. Ponfick M, Gdynia HJ, Ludolph AC et-al. Camptocormia in Parkinson's disease: a review of the literature. Neurodegener Dis. 2011;8 (5): 283-8. doi:10.1159/000324372 - Pubmed citation
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6. Srivanitchapoom P, Hallett M. Camptocormia in Parkinson's disease: definition, epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment modalities. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. 2016;87 (1): 75-85. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2014-310049 - Pubmed citation
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7. Schulz-Schaeffer WJ. Camptocormia in Parkinson's Disease: A Muscle Disease Due to Dysregulated Proprioceptive Polysynaptic Reflex Arch. (2016) Frontiers in aging neuroscience. 8: 128. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2016.00128 - Pubmed
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8. Lees A, Eyre P, Brown P. The true face of James Parkinson. (2018) The Lancet. Neurology. 17 (6): 507. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30174-1 - Pubmed
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9. Finsterer J, Strobl W. Causes of camptocormia. (2011) Disability and rehabilitation. 33 (17-18): 1702-3. doi:10.3109/09638288.2010.543750 - Pubmed
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10. Finsterer J, Strobl W. Presentation, etiology, diagnosis, and management of camptocormia. (2010) European neurology. 64 (1): 1-8. doi:10.1159/000314897 - Pubmed
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