title: Switching off micturition using deep brain stimulation at midbrain sites.
abstract: Most of the time the bladder is locked in storage mode, switching to voiding only when it is judged safe and/or socially appropriate to urinate. Here we show, in humans and rodents, that deep brain stimulation in the periaqueductal gray matter can rapidly and reversibly manipulate switching within the micturition control circuitry, to defer voiding and maintain urinary continence, even when the bladder is full. Manipulation of neural continence pathways by deep brain stimulation may offer new avenues for the treatment of urinary incontinence of central origin.
authors: Nuffield Department of Surgical Science, University of Oxford, UK.
authors: Alexander L
authors: AL
authors: Green
authors: Ella
authors: E
authors: Stone
authors: Holly
authors: H
authors: Sitsapesan
authors: Benjamin W
authors: BW
authors: Turney
authors: John H
authors: JH
authors: Coote
authors: Tipu Z
authors: TZ
authors: Aziz
authors: Jonny A
authors: JA
authors: Hyam
authors: Thelma A
authors: TA
authors: Lovick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D014554:Urination / Q000502:physiology*; D014563:Urodynamics / Q000502:physiology