Dennis Bourbeau, PhD

Bio

Dennis Bourbeau is a research investigator in the Research Service at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a Staff Scientist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the MetroHealth Medical System, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. His research focuses on developing approaches that use electrical stimulation to restore pelvic autonomic functions, including bladder and bowel functions, lost to spinal cord injury or other neurological disorders. He has conducted studies with individuals with spinal cord injury using electrical stimulation to inhibit unwanted bladder contractions and improve urinary continence. Other projects include electrical stimulation to inhibit unwanted reflex sphincter contractions to improve bladder emptying; a wireless bladder pressure and volume sensor for automatic control of these electrical stimulation approaches; and electrical stimulation to improve colonic motility for individuals with chronic constipation. This research program provides new insights into the neurophysiological pathways and mechanisms underlying pelvic autonomic functions.