Research progress on the mechanisms of acupuncture in improving neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury

The neurogenic bladder is a common manifestation of spinal cord injury. The occurrence and development of neurogenic bladder involves a variety of complex pathological mechanisms, including destruction of the structure and function of the detrusor muscles in the bladder tissue, abnormal excitatory conduction of bladder interstitial cells of Cajal, overactivation of the afferent C-fibers of the bladder, and loss of spinal cord neurons. It has been found that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of neurogenic bladder, and its underlying mechanisms are related to its functions in activating the bladder autophagy signaling pathway, modulating the expression of bladder fibroblasts molecules, regulating expression of proteins related to the contractile function of the detrusor muscles, stimulating excitatory conduction channel proteins on the Cajal interstitial cells of bladder, activating afferent C fibers within the bladder regulating spinal neuron regeneration, promoting the production of apoptotic factors in the spinal cord and bladder. In the present article, we summarized the research progress of the mechanism of neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury and the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion interventions, so as to provide reference for elucidating the pathogenesis of neurogenic bladder and the role of acupuncture treatment.