Subthalamic stimulation improves sensory gating of urinary bladder afferents in Parkinson's disease

Objective: To investigate how subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) modulates the sensory processing of urinary bladder information in order to further elucidate the sensory gating mechanisms within this visceral pathway. Background: STN-DBS does not only ameliorate motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) but also (i) improves dysuria and (ii) normalizes the perception of urinary bladder filling. A physiological explanation for this effect of STN-DBS has yet been elusive. Methods: Nine PD patients with bilateral STN-DBS switched ON (STN-DBS ON) or OFF (STN-DBS OFF) were studied during dynamic bladder f…