Desensitized Brain Responsible For Bedwetting

Bedwetting, termed medically as enuresis, is generally observed in kids between five to twelve years of age. Considered as part of child development, children are believed to grow out of it naturally as they age. Enuresis is often misinterpreted as a child’s misbehavior.

Researchers from Hong Kong compared the amount of arousal in the cortical area of the brain that occurs during sleep in children. It was found that children with a history of enuresis had twice the number of cortical arousals compared to children who didn't wet the bed.

"We found that children with enuresis have more light sleep associated with frequent cortical arousals, but an inability to awaken completely. We speculate that the transition from light sleep to complete awakening, as elicited by the arousal center, may be paradoxically suppressed by long-term over stimulation by signals from the bladderdefine," the researchers stated. Their findings are published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Experts cannot say what exactly causes bedwetting, but there are certain factors contributing to the problem.

"We know there's a genetic component. If both parents have a history of bedwetting, there's at least a 70 percent chance that the child will," says chief of pediatric urology, Dr. Jeffrey Stock, at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

Stock added that the reflex that suppresses urine discharge is weakens the signals at night amongst bedwetting children as sleeping cycles and bedwetting are correlated. He explained that children control reflex during daytime but at night they don’t suppress the bladder action.
Another reason can be deficiency of anti-diuretic hormone that keeps the body from excreting fluids. Some children don’t make enough of this hormone but it is found that medication helps arrest this problem over time.

The researchers found that cortical arousals are associated with bladder contractions, like a "bladder-brain dialogue". Sometimes brain does not sense overactive bladders that get full quickly and cause bedwetting. It is found that bedwetting children are unable to awaken completely.

Children are often emotionally insecure due to enuresis but parental assurance can help. Dr. Francis Schneck, clinical director of pediatric urology at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh said he was doubtful about the study’s contribution towards management of enuresis.