Acute ampakines increase voiding function and coordination in a rat model of SCI.

There are limited options for patients with recovery of bladder function following spinal cord injury, with most therapies focusing on treating the symptoms, primarily through catheterization. Here we demonstrate that intravenous delivery of a drug which acts as an allosteric modulator of the AMPA type receptor (an "ampakine") can rapidly improve bladder function following spinal cord injury. The data suggest that ampakines may be a new therapy for early hyporeflexive bladder states following spinal cord injury.