[Lower urinary tract disorders in brain-damaged patients].

Bladder function is controlled by the autonomic and somatic nervous system in the spinal cord. It is coordinated in the brainstem. Different areas of the brain are involved in the voluntary control of this reflex functioning. Brain lesions often cause an overactive bladder syndrome with increased voiding frequency and urgency. Urinary incontinence, frequently present, may be linked to overactive bladder and associated motor and cognitive disorders. Urinary retention occurs in the acute phase of a hemispherical lesion and following brainstem lesions. The identification, evaluation and treatment of urinary disorders in brain-damaged patients require a global assessment and integrated management taking the other neurological consequences of brain damage into account.