Department of Medicine
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Faculty Profiles
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photo Becky Clarkson, PhD

Geriatrics

Research Assistant Professor of Medicine

Email: bdc29@pitt.edu

Phone: 412-647-1270
Contact
Office: NE547 Montefiore Hospital
Pittsburgh, PA
 
Phone: 412-647-1270
Fax:
E-mail: bdc29@pitt.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Beth Delk
Address: 3471 Fifth Ave, Suite 500
Kaufmann Medical Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: eat8@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-864-2507
Education and Training
Education
•PhD, Newcastle University, UK, 2010
•MSc, Medical Physics, Leeds University, 2005
•MPhys, Astrophysics, Universtiy of Manchester, 2004
Research Interest
Dr. Clarkson is currently a Research Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of the Continence Research Unit. Dr. Clarkson originally trained as a physicist and her doctoral research focused on developing clinical tests and diagnostic tools related to bladder dysfunction. She has since transitioned to studying the role of the brain in bladder dysfunction. Her NIH-funded research focuses on the link between the brain and the bladder in urge urinary incontinence, specifically environmental triggers of urinary leakage. In addition, she is using her expertise in medical technology to investigate brain-based therapies for urge incontinence, including transcranial direct current stimulation and de-conditioning strategies such as cue exposure and mindfulness.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Groenendijk, I.M., Mehnert, U., Groen, J., Clarkson, B.D., Scheepe, J.R., Blok, B.F.M. A systematic review and activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of the central innervation of the lower urinary tract: Pelvic floor motor control and micturition. PLoS One. 2021; 16(2).
Clarkson, B.D., Karim, H.T., Griffiths, D.J., Resnick, N.M. Testing a new, intensified infusion-withdrawal protocol for urinary urgency provocation in brain-bladder studies. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 2021; 40(1): 131-136.
Clarkson, B.D., O'Connell, K., Conklin, C.A. Reproducing situationally triggered urgency incontinence in a controlled environment. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 2020; 39(8): 2520-2526.
Tyagi, S., Perera, S., Clarkson, B.D., Tadic, S.D., Resnick, N.M. Nocturnal Excretion in Healthy Older Women and Rationale for a Safer Approach to Sleep Disruption. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2019; 67(12): 2610-2614.
Clarkson, B.D., Karim, H.T., Griffiths, D.J., Resnick, N.M. Functional brain connectivity in older women with urgency urinary incontinence. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 2018; 37(8): 2763-2775.
Clarkson, B.D., Griffiths, D.J., Resnick, N.M. Do Brain Structural Abnormalities Differentiate Separate Forms of Urgency Urinary Incontinence?. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 2018; 37(8): 2597-2605.
Tyagi, S., Perera, S., Clarkson, B.D., Tadic, S.D., Resnick, N.M. Nocturnal Polyuria in Older Women with Urge Urinary Incontinence: Role of Sleep Quality, Time in Bed and Medications Used. Journal of Urology. 2017; 197(3 Pt 1): 753-758.
Chai, T.C., Asfaw, T.S., Baker, J.E., Clarkson, B.D., Coleman, P., Hoffstetter, S., Konkel, K., Lavender, M., Nair, S., Norton, J., Subak, L., Visco, A., Star, R.A., Bavendam, T. Future Directions of Research and Care for Urinary Incontinence: Findings from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Summit on Urinary Incontinence Clinical Research in Women. Journal of Urology. 2017; 198(1): 22-29.
Clarkson, B.D., Tyagi, S., Griffiths, D.J., Resnick, N.M. Test-retest repeatability of patterns of brain activation provoked by bladder filling. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 2016; 36(6): 1472-1478.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: MINDFULNESS TDCS TO REDUCE URGENCY INCONTINENCE IN WOMEN
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Aging
Grant Number: R21 AG0643361
Start Year: 2020
End Year: 2022
Title: Investigation of brain mechanisms involved in Urgency Urinary Incontinence
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Aging
Grant Number: R01 AG06425
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2024
Notable Achievements
•CNS Processing of Bladder Signals. AUS Summer Research Conference, Linthicum, MD, 2014
•International Neurourology meeting, Zurich, Switzerland, 2019
•Neurogenic Bladder Research Group Annual Meeting, Houston TX, 2019
•AUGS State of the Science Conference, Bethesda MD, 2021
•BAUS Conference, Birmingham UK, 2023
•Member: ICS Urodynamic Equipment Standardization Group (Gammie A, Clarkson B, et al, "International Continence Society Guidelines on Urodynamic Equipment Performance" Neurouro Urodynam), 2014
•Member: Institute for Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM, UK), 2004
•Best Non-Clinical Abstract Presentation International Continence Society Award – ICS 2011, Glasgow UK, 2011

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

Department of Medicine
1218 Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Email:  chairoff@pitt.edu
Phone:  412-648-9636
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