Motor Cortical Neuromodulation in Women With Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome

Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS) is a common, chronic, and debilitating condition in women. Preliminary evidence suggests that IC/BPS pain can be reduced applying non-invasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to areas of the brain that regulate pelvic floor muscle activity. However, prior studies have examined rTMS in a very limited sample and have not examined changes in brain or pelvic floor muscle activity to determine the mechanism of rTMS for IC/BPS. This study is designed to directly address these limitations.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Be at least 18 years old. 2. Be female. 3. Have a diagnosis of IC/BPS by the referring physician, with urologic symptoms present a majority of the time during the most recent 3 months 4. Screen within standard limits for pelvic pain Exclusion Criteria: 1. Symptomatic urethral stricture 2. On-going neurological conditions affecting the bladder or bowel 3. Active auto-immune or infectious disorders 4. History of cystitis caused by tuberculosis or radiation or chemotherapies 5. History of non-dermatologic cancer 6. Current major psychiatric disorders 7. Severe cardiac, pulmonary, renal, or hepatic disease 8. Conditions or the use of medical devices that are contraindications for either fMRI or rTMS procedures, including pregnancy, seizure disorders, or chronic headaches