Changes in cholinergic innervation and neuropharmacologic properties in idiopathic hypotonic urinary bladders

Tissue specimens from hypotonic and normotonic human urinary bladders were investigated histochemically, chemically and neuropharmacologically. In hypotonic bladders the density of acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-positive nerves was markedly reduced and the nerve AChE staining intensity was weak. The concentration of acetylcholine was significantly lower than in specimens from normotonic bladders. At field stimulation the contractions were weak. The observations indicated that sparse cholinergic innervation and reduced acetylcholine synthesis are important for the impaired contractility in idiopathic dystonic bladder.