The autonomous bladder: a view of the origin of bladder overactivity and sensory urge

Incontinence and the generation of excessive sensory urges are common problems that can seriously influence the quality of life of both men and women. The underlying causes have in some instances been associated with uncontrolled bladder activity. However, the mechanisms generating such activity are still poorly understood and pharmacological tools to control it remain relatively ineffective. There are no effective treatments for bladder overactivity possibly because the bladder mechanisms are not understand or targeted. The purpose of this short review is to raise questions and re-visit ideas from some older possibly forgotten and neglected publications, but which may shed new light on this problem.