Thoracolumbar epidural stimulation effects on bladder and bowel function in uninjured and chronic transected anesthetized rats

This study investigates how stimulating the spinal cord at the thoracolumbar level (T13-L2) affects bladder and bowel function in rats, both with and without spinal cord injuries. The researchers found that stimulation in this area can alter bladder storage and emptying, as well as rectal activity, with different effects observed in injured versus uninjured rats. These findings suggest that optimizing spinal cord stimulation for bladder and bowel control may require targeting multiple areas of the spinal cord to coordinate different nerve outputs.

• 1
  T13-L2 scES increased inter-contraction interval (ICI) in non-injured female rats but caused short-latency void in chronic T9 transected rats, and reduced rectal activity in all groups.
• 2
  In intact groups, T13-L2 stimulation resulted in a low-pressure filling phase, which is safer than the high-pressure filling observed with L5-S1 stimulation.
• 3
  T13-L2 scES increased distal colon contraction frequency, suggesting that different spinal locations are needed for targeting storage versus movement of feces.