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Purpose <p>Our objective was to determine whether exposure to an environmental enrichment (EE) promotes recovery of micturition following thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. </p> Introduction <p>Spinal cord injury (SCI) often disrupts bladder-sphincter coordination, resulting in neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) that severely impacts quality of life. Environmental enrichment (EE) has been shown to enhance neuroplasticity and functional recovery after CNS injury, but its potential effects on urinary control remain poorly characterized. </p> Materials and methods <p>Twenty-four adult female rats were assigned to four groups: Sham, Sham-EE, SCI, and SCI-EE. The EE groups were exposed to EE for six weeks. Locomotion, sensitive hindlimb responses, and voiding function were assessed using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) score, Von-Frey filaments, and the void spot assay, respectively, every week. At the end of week six, cystometry coupled to EUS electromyography (CMG/EMG-EUS) under anesthesia were performed. Parameters including voiding frequency, voiding area, intercontractile interval, voiding volume, non-voiding contractions, threshold and maximal voiding pressures, and EUS burst properties were analyzed. </p> Results <p>SCI induced a marked reduction in locomotion, sensitive responses, voiding efficiency, increased non-voiding contractions, and disrupted bladder-sphincter coordination. “EE exposure significantly increased locomotion scores and Von-Frey sensitivity. Furthermore, voiding efficiency was improved by restoring voided volume, decreasing voiding frequency, reducing detrusor overactivity, and partially restoring EUS burst patterning. </p> Conclusion <p>These findings indicate somatic improvements and coordination between bladder contractions and sphincter function in SCI-EE rats during voiding. We conclude that EE can enhance the recovery of LUT function following SCI, suggesting that sensory and social stimulation may promote neuroplastic reorganization of spinal circuits controlling micturition. EE may represent a non-invasive strategy for improving NLUTD after SCI.</p>

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An environmental enrichment facilitates the recovery of lower urinary tract function after spinal cord injury through downmodulation of neurogenic activity in female rats

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月16日

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  • Maria Isabel Santiago-Aparicio,
  • José Luis Palacios-Galicia,
  • Yolanda Cruz-Gomez,
  • Yingchun Zhang,
  • Xuhong Li,
  • Alvaro Munoz

摘要

Purpose

Our objective was to determine whether exposure to an environmental enrichment (EE) promotes recovery of micturition following thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats.

Introduction

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often disrupts bladder-sphincter coordination, resulting in neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) that severely impacts quality of life. Environmental enrichment (EE) has been shown to enhance neuroplasticity and functional recovery after CNS injury, but its potential effects on urinary control remain poorly characterized.

Materials and methods

Twenty-four adult female rats were assigned to four groups: Sham, Sham-EE, SCI, and SCI-EE. The EE groups were exposed to EE for six weeks. Locomotion, sensitive hindlimb responses, and voiding function were assessed using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) score, Von-Frey filaments, and the void spot assay, respectively, every week. At the end of week six, cystometry coupled to EUS electromyography (CMG/EMG-EUS) under anesthesia were performed. Parameters including voiding frequency, voiding area, intercontractile interval, voiding volume, non-voiding contractions, threshold and maximal voiding pressures, and EUS burst properties were analyzed.

Results

SCI induced a marked reduction in locomotion, sensitive responses, voiding efficiency, increased non-voiding contractions, and disrupted bladder-sphincter coordination. “EE exposure significantly increased locomotion scores and Von-Frey sensitivity. Furthermore, voiding efficiency was improved by restoring voided volume, decreasing voiding frequency, reducing detrusor overactivity, and partially restoring EUS burst patterning.

Conclusion

These findings indicate somatic improvements and coordination between bladder contractions and sphincter function in SCI-EE rats during voiding. We conclude that EE can enhance the recovery of LUT function following SCI, suggesting that sensory and social stimulation may promote neuroplastic reorganization of spinal circuits controlling micturition. EE may represent a non-invasive strategy for improving NLUTD after SCI.