Dr. Anne (Hanneke) Verstegen

Dr. Verstegen's current research interests include the neural control of bladder function. Because disturbances in central nervous system regulation of bladder and urethral sphincter function can cause or contribute to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), understanding these control circuits may lead to potential therapies. My lab’s research projects focus on identifying neuron populations involved in successful bladder functioning, their regulation by upstream targets and circuits and whether inhibitory input to this void-triggering pathway may allow urinary continence. Our studies aim to reveal how forebrain, brainstem and spinal inputs converge in the control of the bladder.