The effect of labor and/or ovariectomy on rodent continence mechanism--the neuronal changes.
Many women develop stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after childbirth, but the exact neuronal changes are largely unknown. This study is designed to identify the neuronal changes associated with pregnancy, delivery and ovariectomy. A total of 10 virgin and 48 pregnant rats were used. Cystometry and stress/sneeze tests were performed in the virgin once and the pregnant rats at certain time points. Postpartum the rats were equally grouped as follows: group I: delivery, group II: delivery + ballooning, group III: delivery + ovariectomy, group IV: delivery + ballooning + ovariectomy. Tissues from bladder, bladder neck, and urethra were analyzed by immunostaining for PGP 9.5, CGRP, SP, NPY, VIP, TH, n-NOS. We found complex innervation changes in the different tissue samples. Since the bladder neck and the mid-urethra play an important role in the continence mechanism the neuronal changes in these areas contribute to the observed functional changes.
Sievert
Karl-Dietrich
KD
Department of Urology, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. sievert@hotmail.com.
Bakircioglu
Mustafa Emre
ME
Tsai
Tony
T
Nunes
Lora
L
Lue
Tom F
TF
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014521:Urethra / Q000737:chemistry / Q000294:innervation*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000737:chemistry / Q000294:innervation*; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000209:etiology*