Around 80% of world population will suffer of low back pain (LBP). Such condition is
often related with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (DD). In DD, the proteoglycan
(PG) loss is highly important since it compromises IVD response under compressive
loads. DD has been studied using numerical models. Most of them address how
mechanical loads affect nutrition and cells. Yet, no model has studied how extracellular
matrix (ECM) changes affect disc mechanical response. Hence, the aim of this ...
Around 80% of world population will suffer of low back pain (LBP). Such condition is
often related with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (DD). In DD, the proteoglycan
(PG) loss is highly important since it compromises IVD response under compressive
loads. DD has been studied using numerical models. Most of them address how
mechanical loads affect nutrition and cells. Yet, no model has studied how extracellular
matrix (ECM) changes affect disc mechanical response. Hence, the aim of this thesis is
to study how PG changes can affect IVD mechanical behaviour. A novel 3D mechanotransport
model of the L4-L5 IVD is used, incorporating a novel approach for fixed
charged density (FCD) that considers nutrition-dependent PG dynamics. Simulations
under physiological loads are performed for both non-degenerated and degenerated tissue
conditions. FCD decrease, related to PG loss, significant impacts intradiscal pressure
(IDP) but has minimal effect on disc height. This study shed light into the intricate
relationship between ECM changes, disc degeneration and mechanical response,
providing foundation for future research.
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