Takanori Mochizuki, Satoshi Manita, Hiroshi Shimura, Satoru Kira, Norifumi Sawada, Haruhiko Bito, Kenji Sakimura, George J Augustine, Takahiko Mitsui, Masayuki Takeda, Kazuo Kitamura
Lower urinary tract (LUT) function is controlled by the central nervous system, including higher-order cognitive brain regions. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is one of these regions, but the role of its activity in LUT function remains poorly understood. In the present study, we conducted optogenetic experiments to manipulate neural activity in mouse ACC while monitoring bladder pressure to elucidate how the activity of ACC regulates LUT function. Selective optogenetic stimulation of excitatory neurons in ACC induced a sharp increase in bladder pressure, whereas activation of inhibitory neurons in ACC prolonged the interval between bladder contractions...
March 16, 2024: Scientific Reports