How bladder pain that starts early can change as people get older
Quantitative Studies in Urinary Bladder Sensation
This work looks at why bladder pain can begin early in life and become worse with age by studying changes in pain pathways.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176894 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient point of view, this project uses a rat model that mimics features of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome to understand lasting bladder sensitivity. Researchers stretch the bladder (urinary bladder distension) and measure reflexes and nerve cell responses in animals that had bladder inflammation as newborns compared with controls as they age. They also examine bladder tissue and how natural pain-control systems, including opioid and corticotropin-releasing factor receptors, change with aging. The goal is to find biological changes that might explain chronic bladder pain and point toward future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with chronic bladder pain or interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, particularly older adults and women, would be the most relevant future candidates for therapies informed by this work.
Not a fit: People without bladder pain, those with pain from clearly different causes (for example, kidney stones or urinary infections), or anyone seeking immediate relief are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this basic lab research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify biological targets that lead to new treatments to reduce chronic bladder pain, especially in older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies using neonatal bladder inflammation and bladder distension have clarified pain pathways but have had limited direct translation so far to widely effective human treatments.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ness, Timothy J — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Ness, Timothy J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.