PHILADELPHIA, July 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bladder problems may
leave a mark on the brain, by changing patterns of brain activity, possibly
contributing to disrupted sleep and problems with attention. For one in six
Americans who have overactive bladder, the involuntary bladder contractions
that often trigger more frequent urges to urinate, such mind-body
connections may be of more than academic interest.
"We often tend to focus on just one organ, but here we see how an
abnormal organ affects the whole organism," said behavioral scientist Rita
J. Valentino, Ph.D., of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who led
the research describing how an overactive bladder altered nervous system
activity in animals.
The study appeared in the July 21 online edition of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences.
Overactive bladder, while it occurs in a variety of conditions in both
adults and children, is especially prevalent among elderly men, in whom an
enlarged prostate gland partially obstructs the flow of urine and makes
bladder muscles contract involuntarily. Valentino's research team mimicked
the condition in an animal model by surgically constricting the outlet of
urine from rats' bladders.
Building on their previous investigations of the neural circuits
between the bladder and the brain, the researchers found that two small
brain structures, the Barrington's nucleus and the locus ceruleus,
developed abnormal activity as a result of the bladder obstruction. In
particular, the locus ceruleus showed persistently high activity, and this
resulted in an abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded from the
cortex, the broad mass of the brain that governs higher-level functions. In
people, abnormally high activity in the cortex may result in disordered
sleep, anxiety and difficulty in concentrating.
Valentino said further studies are necessary to analyze the direct
connections between heightened brain activity and specific behaviors, but
added that the brain circuits involving the locus ceruleus might be a
useful target for drugs to improve attention and sleep patterns in patients
with bladder dysfunctions.
Furthermore, she added, in addition to overactive bladder, other
visceral diseases, such as irritable bowel disorder, may also affect the
same neural circuitry, with similar neurobehavioral consequences.
The National Institutes of Health provided grant support for this
research. Valentino's co-authors, all from The Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia, were Stephen A. Zderic, M.D.; Elizabeth Rickenbacher, Madelyn
A. Baez, Lyman Hale, and Steven C. Leiser.
About The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children's Hospital
of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric
hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional
patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare
professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's
Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children
worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the
country, ranking third in National Institutes of Health funding. In
addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have
brought the 430-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children
and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.
CONTACT: John Ascenzi
Phone: (267) 426-6055
Ascenzi@email.chop.edu
SOURCE The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
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Related links:
http://www.chop.edu
CONTACT:
John Ascenzi of The Children's Hospital of
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