Neurophysiology of Continence and Micturition: The parasympathetic and sympathetic maintains an important role in urinary continence.

During bladder filling, sensory nerve endings detect progressive stretching of the bladder walland convey information via the parasympathetic to the spinal cord and brain which producesreflex contractions in the bladder neck and prostatic urethra as well as in the external urethralsphincter thereby maintaining continence. As volume of urine increases, starting from 300-500 ml., awareness of the need to voiddevelops. Voluntary voiding is accomplished by stimulation of the parasympathetic nerve fiberscausing coordinated contraction of the detrusor muscle and the bladder body. Nerve impulses passing down the sympathetic and pudental motor fibers cease momentarily, allowing relaxationof normally tonically contracted bladder neck, prostatic urethra and external thus allowing urineto flow