Visceral-afferent signals from the cardiovascular system, but not urinary urge, affect startle eye blink

The aim of the current study was to investigate if startle methodology is suitable to reflect urinary urgency. Eighteen healthy men were tested on two separate days, each including an ingestion of fluid until 80% of the subjective urge to micturate was reached. EMG responses to acoustic startle stimuli were assessed before and after micturition, as well as in the early and late cardiac cycle phases (230 vs. 530 ms after a cardiac R-wave). Sonographic assessment confirmed bladder-filling status. Emotional arousal, stress, urge and unpleasantness ratings, as well as mean blood pressure were higher before than after micturition. Startle eye blink responses were lower during the early than during the late cardiac cycle phase, but were not affected by bladder filling status. We conclude that startle methodology is suitable for the investigation of afferent signals from the cardiovascular system, but not to reflect urinary urgency. This result may be due to different neurophysiological mechanisms underlying afferent signals from the bladder compared to other visceral organs or interference with affective states or sympathetic activation associated with bladder filling. Notwithstanding, the present research protocol of fluid intake, sonographic assessment of the bladder, and subjective reports, can be applied to examine effects of urinary urge on physiological and psychological processes. •The aim was to investigate if urinary urge affects startle responses.•Participants ingested fluid until 80% of the subjective urge to micturate was reached.•Sonography and subjective ratings confirmed bladder-filling status.•Startle eye blink was affected by the cardiac cycle, but not by urinary urge.•Startle methodology is suitable to investigate afferent signals from the heart, but not urinary urge.