Abstract
Micturition requires precise control of bladder and urethral sphincter via parasympathetic, sympathetic and somatic motoneurons. This involves a spino-bulbospinal control circuit incorporating Barrington’s nucleus in the pons (Barr). Ponto-spinal glutamatergic neurons that express corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) form one of the largest Barr cell populations. BarrCRH neurons can generate bladder contractions, but it is unknown whether they act as a simple switch or provide a high-fidelity pre-parasympathetic motor drive and whether their activation can actually trigger voids. Combined opto- and chemo-genetic manipulations along with multisite extracellular recordings in urethane anaesthetised CRHCre mice show that BarrCRH neurons provide a probabilistic drive that generates co-ordinated voids or non-voiding contractions depending on the phase of the micturition cycle. CRH itself provides negative feedback regulation of this process. These findings inform a new inferential model of autonomous micturition and emphasise the importance of the state of the spinal gating circuit in the generation of voiding.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e56605 |
Number of pages | 36 |
Journal | eLife |
Volume | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 29 Apr 2020 |
Research Groups and Themes
- Anaesthesia Pain and Critical Care
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Professor Anthony Edward Pickering
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience - Professor of Neuroscience and Anaesthesia
- Bristol Neuroscience
Person: Academic , Member