Adapting the void spot assay as a non-invasive method to evaluate urinary function and behavior following traumatic spinal cord injury in female and male rats

Regaining bladder function is a key priority for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, only 3.1% of preclinical SCI studies examine urinary function, as current assessments are invasive, complicated, and necessitate animal sacrifice. The void spot assay (VSA) involves placing animals on filter paper, which is imaged to evaluate urinary outcomes. Despite being non-invasive, simple, and inexpensive, the VSA has seen limited applications in SCI research. Hence, we aimed to adapt the VSA for rats with SCI and assess sex differences in urinary function. This repository provides the data, statistical outputs and code used in this publication.