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\begin{document}

\title{Two regions of the brain work together to ensure urination occurs at an
appropriate time.}



\author[1]{Digests Admin}%
\affil[1]{Digests}%


\vspace{-1em}



  
  \date{May 21, 2024}


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\begin{abstract}
This is a Digest of~\emph{Brainstem network dynamics underlying the
encoding of bladder information~\cite{Manohar_2017}}.%
\end{abstract}%



\sloppy


How do we know when we need to find a bathroom? As the bladder fills up,
it sends signals to the brain to say that it needs emptying. But before
the brain sends a message back to the bladder muscles telling them to
contract to release urine, it first triggers a change in behavior. By
increasing our alertness and arousing our senses, the brain ensures that
we begin to look for a place where it is safe and appropriate to
urinate. Only when we have found such a place will the brain tell the
bladder to empty.

\par\null

Previous work has suggested that two brain regions play important roles
in this process: the pontine micturition center (PMC) and its neighbor,
the locus coeruleus. The PMC is thought to act as an on-off switch. When
the bladder reaches a certain level of fullness the PMC activates, which
tells the bladder muscles to contract. The locus coeruleus helps animals
pay attention to important stimuli by making them more alert and
energized whenever such stimuli are present.

\par\null

By recording the activity of neurons in the brains of rats while also
measuring the pressure inside their bladders, Manohar et al. show that
the PMC and the locus coeruleus work together to coordinate behavior and
bladder emptying. Filling the bladder causes neurons in the locus
coeruleus to activate in synchronized waves. This helps the locus
coeruleus communicate with the brain's outer layer, the cortex, leading
to an increase in sensory alertness and arousal. This all happens before
the bladder reaches the threshold fullness that activates the PMC,
explaining why behavioral changes occur before urination. Manohar et al.
show too that PMC neurons also activate when the rat is not urinating,
suggesting that the PMC is more than an on-off switch.

\par\null

Healthy people experience the sensation of needing to empty their
bladder well before the bladder is full, but people who do not receive
these sensory signals may be unable to tell when they need to take
action. This can lead to bedwetting in children and to incontinence in
the elderly. Targeting the brain circuit that responds to bladder
signals could lead to new treatments for these conditions.

\par\null

\emph{This digest was originally published at eLife~}\cite{1}
\emph{and is reproduced under a CC BY 4.0 license.}

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