Neurogenic Mechanisms Underlying Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Dysfunction

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and dysfunction arising from neurological disorders represent a leading cause of morbidity, recurrent urinary tract infections, upper tract damage, and impaired quality of life. Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) is recognized across a spectrum of conditions — including spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, spina bifida, stroke, diabetic neuropathy, and other central or peripheral nervous system disorders. The mechanisms linking neural injury or dysfunction to specific lower urinary tract phenotypes remain incompletely understood.The pathophysiology of NLUTD involves complex, multilevel interactions: disruption of supraspinal and spinal voiding circuits, aberrant peripheral afferent signaling, neuroinflammation, urothelial barrier dysfunction, detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia, and maladaptive neuroplasticity.Recent work has advanced understanding of brain-bladder pathways, spinal and peripheral reflex circuits, sensory signaling, and disease-specific mechanisms, but much of the literature remains fragmented across basic, translational, and clinical domains. A dedicated Research Topic would provide an opportunity to integrate emerging findings on the neurogenic basis of lower urinary tract symptoms and dysfunction, while also linking mechanistic insights to urodynamic findings, disease phenotypes, and future therapeutic strategies.The Topic also welcomes work on the neural control and functional anatomy of the lower urinary tract and pelvic organs, which provides essential foundational context for understanding how these pathways are disrupted in disease and targeted in clinical and surgical interventions.This Research Topic welcomes submissions across the following article types: Original Research, Systematic Review, Review, Mini Review, Perspective, and Clinical Trial reports.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:- Central (supraspinal and spinal) neural circuit control of bladder storage and voiding, and its disruption in neurological disease- Peripheral afferent and efferent signaling in NLUTD, including the roles of C-fibers, Aδ-fibers, and autonomic pathways- Neuroinflammation, neurogenic inflammation and neuroimmune interactions in the lower urinary tract, including mast cell, macrophage, and glial contributions- Urothelial dysfunction and sensory transduction mechanisms (e.g., TRPV1, TRPM7, P2X/P2Y signaling)- Detrusor overactivity, underactivity, and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia: urodynamic phenotyping and neurogenic substrates- Neuroplasticity and maladaptive remodeling following SCI, MS, stroke, or peripheral neuropathy- Disease-specific mechanisms: Parkinson's disease, MS, diabetic cystopathy, spina bifida- Neuromodulation therapies (sacral, pudendal, tibial, and transcutaneous nerve stimulation): mechanisms of action and clinical outcomes- Brain-bladder axis: neuroimaging, functional connectivity, and cortical/subcortical regulation of micturition- Biomarkers of neurogenic bladder dysfunction: urinary, neurophysiological, and imaging-based approaches- Translational animal models of NLUTD and their relevance to human disease- Emerging therapeutic targets: pharmacological, gene therapy, and regenerative approaches- Neural control and functional anatomy of the lower urinary tract and pelvic organs, including autonomic and somatic innervation pathways and their clinical and surgical relevance Topic editors: Jialiang Chen, Qingfeng Yu, Jicheng Wang, Chi Zhang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80634/neurogenic-mechanisms-underlying-lower-urinary-tract-symptoms-and-dysfunction