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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Detrusor Underactivity Model in Rats by Conus Medullaris Transection
Published on: August 28, 2020
Increased urinary nerve growth factor as a predictor of persistent detrusor overactivity after bladder outlet
Seung Ryeol Lee1, Chang Hee Hong, Young Deuk Choi
1Department of Urology and Urological Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Purpose:
We evaluated urinary nerve growth factor as a predictive factor for persistent detrusor overactivity after bladder outlet obstruction relief in a rat model.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 50 female Sprague-Dawley(R) rats were divided into 2 groups, including 10 sham operated controls and 40 with bladder outlet obstruction. Obstruction was induced by partial urethral ligation and relieved by ligation removal after 3 weeks. Voided urine was collected before bladder outlet obstruction at time 1, 3 weeks after obstruction onset at time 2 and 3 weeks after obstruction relief at time 3. Cystometry was done in awake rats at times 2 and 3. Bladder tissue was harvested at time 3. Urinary and bladder tissue nerve growth factor was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with results adjusted based on creatinine concentration.
Results:
In 16 rats in which detrusor overactivity disappeared after bladder outlet obstruction relief (group 1) urinary nerve growth factor/creatinine significantly increased from time 1 to 2 and significantly decreased from time 2 to 3 (p = 0.001 and 0.003, respectively). In 8 rats with persistent detrusor overactivity despite obstruction removal (group 2) urinary nerve growth factor/creatinine significantly increased from time 1 to 2 but did not change from time 2 to 3 (p = 0.012 and 0.123, respectively). These rats with persistent detrusor overactivity also had significantly higher urinary nerve growth factor/creatinine at time 1 than controls and group 1 (p = 0.015 and 0.005, respectively).
Conclusions:
Changes in urinary nerve growth factor may reflect detrusor overactivity, as diagnosed on 2 consecutive cystometries. Increased urinary nerve growth factor before bladder outlet obstruction may predict persistent detrusor overactivity after obstruction relief.
