Inhibitory and excitatory perigenital-to-bladder spinal reflexes in the cat

摘要

after spinal cord injury (SCI) incontinence occurs frequently due to detrusor overactivity. Meanwhile, the bladder also does not empty well due to detrusor sphincter dyssyn-ergia resulting in a large residual volume of urine. Thus, the management of bladder function after SCI is a challenging task, because it requires inhibition of detrusor overactivity during urine storage and induction of a large-amplitude bladder contraction to empty the bladder (3). Current treatment for bladder dysfunction after SCI has either limited success (49) or requires major invasive spinal surgery to implant stimulating electrodes on spinal roots (6). Intermittent urethral catheterization is the most common method for managing urinary tract dysfunction (10). However, it can lead to frequent bladder infections (25)