The enteric nervous system and the musculature of the colon are altered in patients with spina bifida and spinal cord injury.

ABSTRACT: Neurogenic bowel dysfunction occurs in a large percentage of adult patients with spina bifida (SB) and spinal cord injury (SCI), significantly affecting their quality of life. Although bowel motility is autonomously regulated by the enteric nervous system (ENS), disruption of the modulation of the ENS by extrinsic innervation as present in many patients with SB and SCI might lead to motility disorders. In order to gain insight in the pathophysiology, we studied histological changes of the neuromuscular structures in the colon of SB and SCI patients. Archival colon tissue blocks from SB (n = 13) and SCI (n = 34) patients were collected nationwide in The Netherlands and compared with control samples (n = 16). Histological (semiquantitative) evaluation of the ENS, the network of interstitial

SUBMITTER: den Braber-Ymker M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5306076 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature