Biomaterial Database

Changes in bladder and external urethral sphincter function after spinal cord injury in the rat. 1993

M N Kruse, and A L Belton, and W C de Groat

Department of Pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans results in inappropriate contractions of the external urethral sphincter muscle (EUS) during micturition (bladder-sphincter dyssynergia), leading to urinary retention. The major goal of this study was to determine whether SCI in rats has similar detrimental effects on micturition. After chronic SCI, urethan-anesthetized rats had a significantly (15-fold) increased bladder capacity and impaired voiding (31-fold increase in residual volume) compared with control rats. Bladder contractions in SCI rats were accompanied by abnormal tonic EUS electromyographic activity, whereas the EUS electromyograms of control rats exhibited a burst pattern (4-8 Hz) during voiding. Suppression of EUS activity with neuromuscular blockade did not improve the fraction of urine voided in SCI rats and reduced the fraction voided in control rats. Therefore, both tonic activity and complete quiescence of the rat's EUS appear to be detrimental to voiding, suggesting that the normal bursting EUS activity facilitates bladder emptying. In summary, rats and humans exhibit similar micturition dysfunctions after SCI (e.g., bladder-sphincter dyssynergia and impaired voiding).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009466	Neuromuscular Blocking Agents	Drugs that interrupt transmission of nerve impulses at the skeletal neuromuscular junction. They can be of two types, competitive, stabilizing blockers (NEUROMUSCULAR NONDEPOLARIZING AGENTS) or noncompetitive, depolarizing agents (NEUROMUSCULAR DEPOLARIZING AGENTS). Both prevent acetylcholine from triggering the muscle contraction and they are used as anesthesia adjuvants, as relaxants during electroshock, in convulsive states, etc.	Neuromuscular Blocker,Neuromuscular Blocking Agent,Neuromuscular Blockers,Agent, Neuromuscular Blocking,Agents, Neuromuscular Blocking,Blocker, Neuromuscular,Blockers, Neuromuscular,Blocking Agent, Neuromuscular,Blocking Agents, Neuromuscular
D012016	Reference Values	The range or frequency distribution of a measurement in a population (of organisms, organs or things) that has not been selected for the presence of disease or abnormality.	Normal Range,Normal Values,Reference Ranges,Normal Ranges,Normal Value,Range, Normal,Range, Reference,Ranges, Normal,Ranges, Reference,Reference Range,Reference Value,Value, Normal,Value, Reference,Values, Normal,Values, Reference
D001743	Urinary Bladder	A musculomembranous sac along the URINARY TRACT. URINE flows from the KIDNEYS into the bladder via the ureters (URETER), and is held there until URINATION.	Bladder,Bladder Detrusor Muscle,Detrusor Urinae,Bladder Detrusor Muscles,Bladder, Urinary,Detrusor Muscle, Bladder,Detrusor Muscles, Bladder
D003655	Decerebrate State	A condition characterized by abnormal posturing of the limbs that is associated with injury to the brainstem. This may occur as a clinical manifestation or induced experimentally in animals. The extensor reflexes are exaggerated leading to rigid extension of the limbs accompanied by hyperreflexia and opisthotonus. This condition is usually caused by lesions which occur in the region of the brainstem that lies between the red nuclei and the vestibular nuclei. In contrast, decorticate rigidity is characterized by flexion of the elbows and wrists with extension of the legs and feet. The causative lesion for this condition is located above the red nuclei and usually consists of diffuse cerebral damage. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p358)	Decerebrate Posturing,Decorticate Rigidity,Decorticate State,Rigidity, Decerebrate,Rigidity, Decorticate,Decerebrate Posturings,Decerebrate Rigidity,Decerebrate States,Decorticate Rigidities,Decorticate States,Posturing, Decerebrate,Posturings, Decerebrate,Rigidities, Decorticate,State, Decerebrate,States, Decerebrate
D004576	Electromyography	Recording of the changes in electric potential of muscle by means of surface or needle electrodes.	Electromyogram,Surface Electromyography,Electromyograms,Electromyographies,Electromyographies, Surface,Electromyography, Surface,Surface Electromyographies
D005260	Female		Females
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013119	Spinal Cord Injuries	Penetrating and non-penetrating injuries to the spinal cord resulting from traumatic external forces (e.g., WOUNDS, GUNSHOT; WHIPLASH INJURIES; etc.).	Myelopathy, Traumatic,Injuries, Spinal Cord,Post-Traumatic Myelopathy,Spinal Cord Contusion,Spinal Cord Laceration,Spinal Cord Transection,Spinal Cord Trauma,Contusion, Spinal Cord,Contusions, Spinal Cord,Cord Contusion, Spinal,Cord Contusions, Spinal,Cord Injuries, Spinal,Cord Injury, Spinal,Cord Laceration, Spinal,Cord Lacerations, Spinal,Cord Transection, Spinal,Cord Transections, Spinal,Cord Trauma, Spinal,Cord Traumas, Spinal,Injury, Spinal Cord,Laceration, Spinal Cord,Lacerations, Spinal Cord,Myelopathies, Post-Traumatic,Myelopathies, Traumatic,Myelopathy, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Myelopathy,Post-Traumatic Myelopathies,Spinal Cord Contusions,Spinal Cord Injury,Spinal Cord Lacerations,Spinal Cord Transections,Spinal Cord Traumas,Transection, Spinal Cord,Transections, Spinal Cord,Trauma, Spinal Cord,Traumas, Spinal Cord,Traumatic Myelopathies,Traumatic Myelopathy
D014521	Urethra	A tube that transports URINE from the URINARY BLADDER to the outside of the body in both the sexes. It also has a reproductive function in the male by providing a passage for SPERM.	External Urethral Sphincter,External Urinary Sphincter,Internal Urethral Sphincter,Internal Urinary Sphincter,Internal Vesical Sphincter,Urethral Sphincters,External Urethral Sphincters,External Urinary Sphincters,Internal Urethral Sphincters,Internal Urinary Sphincters,Internal Vesical Sphincters,Sphincter, External Urethral,Sphincter, External Urinary,Sphincter, Internal Urethral,Sphincter, Internal Urinary,Sphincter, Internal Vesical,Sphincter, Urethral,Urethral Sphincter,Urethral Sphincter, External,Urethras,Urinary Sphincter, External,Urinary Sphincter, Internal,Vesical Sphincter, Internal
D017208	Rats, Wistar	A strain of albino rat developed at the Wistar Institute that has spread widely at other institutions. This has markedly diluted the original strain.	Wistar Rat,Rat, Wistar,Wistar Rats