The bladder, an organ of the urinary tract system, functions to store and release urine produced in the kidneys. In order for the bladder to function properly it requires a complex interaction between the muscles of the bladder wall, the nerves within and surrounding the bladder, the sphincter muscle controlling the release of urine and the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder. A neurogenic bladder describes a condition that occurs when the nerves controlling bladder function become damaged. Although the nerves can become damaged due to an injury, such as a spinal cord injury, many other conditions and diseases can cause a neurogenic bladder.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, classified as an autoimmune disease, occurs when the cells of the immune system attack the fatty substance surrounding nerves, known as myelin. As the myelin breaks down, nerve signals traveling to and from the brain become interrupted. Over time, scar tissue builds up and the nerve cells can also become damaged.
Multiple sclerosis affects nearly 2.1 million people worldwide, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Multiple sclerosis causes a variety of symptoms, depending on what area of the body becomes affects. Because the disease progresses differently in each person, individual symptoms vary. When the nerves controlling the bladder come under attack, it causes a neurogenic bladder.
Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease occurs when dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain begin to die. The main symptoms of Parkinson's disease include slowness of movement, known as bradykinesia, tremors, rigidity and difficulty balancing. Because Parkinson's disease causes a drastic decrease in the level of dopamine--a chemical in the brain that helps in transmitting signals between nerves, additional symptoms can occur.
The decrease in dopamine and number of nerve cells in the brain can cause a neurogenic bladder. Patients with Parkinson's disease may develop an unstable bladder due to the nerve signals failing the reach the bladder. This can cause feelings of urgency even when the bladder is not full, as described by the Bladder and Bowel Foundation.
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease, a form of dementia, causes a loss of brain function over time, affecting memory, thinking and behavior. In the beginning stages, Alzheimer's patients feel forgetful and confused, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. As the disease progresses, it destroys nerve cells in the brain, resulting in a decrease of neurotransmitters that help send signals between nerves. Many Alzheimer's patients develop incontinence, the involuntary leakage of urine, due to the inability of the nerves in the brain to control bladder function, therefore causing a neurogenic bladder.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetes, a chronic disease characterized by a high level of sugar in the blood, can damage nerves throughout the body, a condition known as neuropathy. Autonomic neuropathy affects the nerves that control the heart and blood pressure as well as those that control digestion, respiratory functions, urination, sexual response and vision, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. When the nerves controlling the bladder become damaged, causing a neurogenic bladder, the patient may experience incontinence or the inability to empty the bladder completely.
