Increased voiding frequency and urgency are among the most prevalent storage lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), often diagnosed as part of overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). It has been suggested that these symptoms are caused by excessive sensory activation of the neural micturition circuit. It seems likely that sensory pathway remodelling is also responsible for pain perception upon bladder filling in patients with bladder pain syndrome (BPS). Neurotrophins-including nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived nerve factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4)-represent master modulators of neural plasticity, both in peripheral and central nervous systems. Accumulating evidence points towards a role for neurotrophins in the control of neural sensory function during micturition and indicates their involvement in the emergence of OAB-related and BPS-related LUTS. Neurotrophins could potentially be used as urinary biomarkers to improve diagnostic accuracy for OAB and BPS and monitor therapy effectiveness. Proof-of-principle clinical evidence has confirmed that NGF is a potential target for treating human bladder overactivity.
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