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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 May 23.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Rev Urol. 2010 Dec 7;8(1):19–28. doi: 10.1038/nrurol.2010.203

Figure 2.

Figure 2

Schematic depicting the circuitry centered around Barrington’s nucleus that links the brain and pelvic viscera. A. Signals from pelvic viscera are conveyed to Barrington’s nucleus either directly or indirectly. Barrington’s nucleus modulates visceral activity via spinal efferents and cortical activity via its projections to the locus coeruleus. B. Through the same circuitry signals related to pathology in the pelvic viscera can be relayed to the cortex via Barrington’s nucleus projections to the LC. Psychogenic stimuli, such as social stress can potentially impact on the pelvic viscera through projections from the periaqueductal gray or other afferents to Barrington’s nucleus. Abbreviations: IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), LC (locus coeruleus) and OAB (Overactive bladder).