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Bladder Dysfunction and Parkinsonism: Current Pathophysiological Understanding and Management Strategies

  • Overactive Bladder (Gopal Badlani, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) commonly develop lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) as their disease severity progresses. It is a well-established fact that neurodegeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway occurs in PD. This neurochemical deficiency explains many of the motor disturbances encountered in patients with PD. However, the underlying cause of urinary dysfunction present in over half of patients with PD is poorly understood. Without clearly understanding the underlying pathophysiological and neurochemical mechanisms of LUTS associated with PD, treatment strategies are mainly empirical in nature. This review presents the most recent studies and evidence on the pathophysiological mechanisms of PD-related voiding dysfunction and its available therapies.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported in part by a grant from the AUA Foundation Research Scholars Program and the AUA Southeastern Section Research Scholar Endowment Fund.

Disclosures

No potential conflicts of interest relevant ot this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Lysanne Campeau & Karl-Erik Andersson

  2. Division of Urology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Av. Dr. Arnaldo no. 455, Cerqueira César, São Paulo, SP, 01246903, Brazil

    Roberto Soler

Authors
  1. Lysanne Campeau
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  2. Roberto Soler
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  3. Karl-Erik Andersson
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Correspondence to Karl-Erik Andersson.

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Campeau, L., Soler, R. & Andersson, KE. Bladder Dysfunction and Parkinsonism: Current Pathophysiological Understanding and Management Strategies. Curr Urol Rep 12, 396–403 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-011-0219-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-011-0219-8

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