Project 6

Use of pseudorabies virus (PRV) as a novel transneuronal tracer to map neural circuitry involved in bladder functioning in both

Our research focuses on the development of therapeutic strategies to promote regeneration of lesioned central nervous system (CNS) axon pathways in order to restore loss of function after injury, in particular to the spinal cord. Following spinal cord injury, there is complete and permanent loss of function below the level of injury. Para- and quadriplegics consistently list loss of bladder and bowel control as one of their most distressing day-to-day realities. However, very little is known of the effects that spinal cord injury has on the neuronal circuitry that controls bladder and bowel function. This project will focus on the bladder and will determine the extent of loss of polysynaptic neuronal connectivity involved in micturition following spinal cord injury in rats. We will use a novel transneuronal labelling technique, based on the Bartha strain of pseudorabies virus (PRV), which allows retrograde tracing of neural circuitry underlying autonomic innervation of the urinary bladder and external urethral sphincter. Animals will be examined after a contusion injury to the spinal cord at thoracic level 8 (T8). Prospective Honours students with an interest or background in Neuroscience are particularly encouraged to apply. If you would like to obtain some more information on this project or learn about the other work that is going on in our lab, please feel free to come and visit us. Dr Giles W Plant phone: 9380-8642 email gplant@anhb.uwa.edu.au, Dr Marc Ruitenberg phone 9380 8641 email: mruitenberg@anhb.uwa.edu.au).

Selected literature:

1. Blok BF, Holstege G (1998), The central nervous system control of micturition in catsand humans. Behav Brain Res 92:119-125.

2. Nadelhaft I, Vera PL (2001), Separate urinary bladder and external urethral sphincter neurons in the central nervous system of the rat: simultaneous labeling with two immunohistochemically distinguishable pseudorabies viruses. Brain Res 903:33-44.