Methodology for a trial of brain-centered versus anticholinergic therapy in women with urgency urinary incontinence

Introduction and hypothesis We describe the rationale and methodology for a study comparing mind–body treatment and pharmacotherapy in women with urgency urinary incontinence (UUI). To explore brain associations in UUI, a subset of patients will also undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We hypothesize that hypnotherapy, a mind–body intervention, will be at least as effective as pharmacotherapy in treating UUI. We also hypothesize that fMRI findings will change following treatment, with changes potentially differing between groups.