题目：Identification of a cortical area for voluntary micturition
时间：2018年9月7日（星期五）上午10:00-11:00
Host：北京大学分子医学研究所 周 专 (Tel. 6275-3212)
北京大学分子医学研究所 程和平 (Tel. 6276-5957)
Abstract: Voluntary micturition is presumably regulated by a complex neural network distributed in both subcortical and cortical regions. While micturition-related neurons have been identified in subcortical structures such as the pontine micturition center (PMC), the origin of the descending cortical pathway and how it interfaces with this well-defined subcortical circuit to permit voluntary initiation of micturition remain elusive. We found a small cluster of layer 5 neurons in the primary motor cortex, whose activities tightly correlated with the onset of micturition in freely behaving mice and increased dramatically during territorial marking, suggesting a role for these neurons in voluntary micturition. Indeed, optogenetically activating these neurons elicited contraction of the bladder detrusor muscle and initiated micturition, through their projections to the PMC. Silencing or ablating them remarkably impaired micturition and caused retention of urine. These results unravel a cortical component above the PMC that is necessary and sufficient for voluntary micturition.
