Neural signals behind nighttime bathroom trips in older adults
Official title: Neural mechanisms underlying nocturia-related arousals
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11453807 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study investigates how brain signals related to arousal affect nightly bathroom trips in older adults, with a focus on bladder control and sleep disruption.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $475,475 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AG092912-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11453807 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 60 and older who experience nocturia and sleep disruption.
✕Less likely to help
People without nocturia or sleep disturbances are unlikely to benefit from this brain-bladder study.
What this research studies
This project looks at why many people aged 60 and up wake at night to urinate. Researchers will study how the brain’s wakefulness system, especially a region called the locus coeruleus, interacts with bladder activity during sleep. In mice, they will image brain activity as the bladder fills and empties and test how changing bladder volume influences arousal signals. If findings translate to humans, this could reveal new targets to reduce nocturia and improve sleep and daily functioning.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new strategies to reduce nocturia and improve sleep quality for older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work links bladder activity and arousal systems, but the exact brain mechanisms in aging-related nocturia are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ramalingam, Vetrivelan — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ramalingam, Vetrivelan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Addressing Night-time Urination in Older Women with a Brief Mindfulness Plan
A study tests a short, easy mindfulness program to help older women sleep better and reduce nighttime urination.
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Improving nighttime bathroom trips and sleep for older adults
A behavioral sleep-and-bladder program aims to reduce nighttime bathroom trips and help older adults sleep more soundly.
-
Improving sleep and reducing nighttime urination in older adults
This study is looking at how a mix of therapy and regular treatments can help older adults who wake up often at night to use the bathroom, aiming to improve their sleep and overall health.
-
Compare two bladder medicines and placebo for urgency incontinence in older women
This study tests whether tolterodine ER or mirabegron help with urinary and aging-related outcomes in older women with urgency-predominant incontinence, compared with placebo.
-
Managing nighttime voiding in older women with sleep strategies
This study tests whether brief behavioral sleep therapy and mindfulness, alone or together, reduce how often older women wake at night to urinate and how much urine they produce at night.
-
Community-based approach using digital tools and behavioral guidance for nocturia
This project tests a digital health and behavioral program for adults 55+ with nocturia to see if it reduces night-time voids and improves quality of life.
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.