The spontaneous and neurogenic contractile responses of the isolated bladder smooth muscle are markedly enhanced in MPTP treated common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Dysfunction of the lower urinary tract, such as urinary urgency and incontinence, characterised as bladder hyperreflexia, is a common non-motor feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD) (1). Previously, it was shown that common marmosets rendered parkinsonian with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) also displayed bladder hyperreflexia (2) but the cause of this hyperreflexia has been attributed to central effects. To date no study has investigated whether there are any alterations in the parkinsonian bladder at the level of smooth muscle in primates. Here we compared the contractile responses of the detrusor strips from normal, drug naïve and animals that were previously MPTP treated (0.2mg/kg/day, s.c. for 5 consecutive days)