The aging bladder insights from animal models

Alterations in bladder function with aging are very common and are very likely to represent an increasing healthcare problem in the years to come with the general aging of the population. In this review the authors describe the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and comment upon potential mechanisms which may be responsible for the increasing prevalence of lower LUTS with increasing age, based on laboratory studies. It is clear that there is a complex interplay between the various components of the neural innervation structure of the bladder in leading to changes with age, which are likely to underpin the LUTS which are seen in the aging bladder.