New thematic session introduces urologists to neurourology

One of the many Thematic Sessions of Sunday addressed the link between the brain and the bladder. Prof. Dirk De Ridder (Leuven, BE) chaired an hour-long session with four speakers with different backgrounds, all aimed at informing urologists on a topic they might have previously considered to be too complex. De Ridder: “But in the end, all urologists deal with patients who are on medication, have Parkinson’s or suffer from dementia. With an ever-ageing population, it’s important that urologists are aware of the effects of the brain and nervous system on continence.”

Speakers included a psychiatrist, two speakers specialized in neurourology and a basic scientist, Prof. Karl-Erik Andersson (Aarhus, DK). Andersson gave a presentation on the central nervous system, highlighting concepts like mucosal (or urothelial) signaling, spinal reflexes, and the mapping of impulses in the brain.

Dr. Gustav Kiss (Innsbruck, AT) and Asst. Prof. Thomas Matthias Kessler (Zürich, CH) examined different neurological conditions and their effects on continence: Alzheimer and Parkinson, respectively. Kiss pointed out that the earliest record of the connection between Alzheimer’s disease and urinary incontinence was made already in 1959. He explained that Alzheimer is not limited to dementia, but that it is a brain-structure disorder on a macro- and microstructural level. Hence it affects areas of the brain that control micturition.

Prof. Kessler looked beyond the classic motoric issues associated with the disease, but also at the frequent incidences of LUTS and the different options for stimulator implants to resolve this. Prof. Marcin Wojnar (Warsaw, PL) finished the session with a look at the effects of antipsychotics and antidepressants on the patient’s urinary bladder function.

“I was pleased with the turnout, and people stayed to the very end. I think this is very encouraging for future sessions on neurourology!” Prof. De Ridder told EUT.