PhD in Urology Awarded with Distinction and Honours | Highlight | Prof. Dr. Ricardo Pereira e Silva

Clínica Longeva is pleased to congratulate Prof. Dr. Ricardo Pereira e Silva, a Urologist of our medical staff, on being awarded his PhD in Medicine with Distinction and Honours by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon.

His research project, in the field of Functional Urology and Neurourology, studied the relationship between the brain and bladder function. It set out to understand how age-related changes in the brain can affect the symptoms and function of the lower urinary tract.

In particular, the research examined how changes in the brain's white matter, especially those linked to cerebral small vessel disease, relate to different aspects of urinary function. The results showed that these brain changes are associated with storage symptoms, such as urinary urgency, and also with changes in bladder emptying.

The work carried out over the course of this research led to several international scientific publications, notably:

. the systematic review Age-related white matter hyperintensities and overactive bladder, on the relationship between changes in the brain's white matter and overactive bladder;

. the study Translation and validation of the Portuguese version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) Bladder Diary, which made available and validated for the Portuguese population an international tool for assessing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS);

. the prospective study White Matter Hyperintensities Are Associated With Bladder Storage and Voiding Dysfunction in Older Adults – Results From the OSTOAP Study, published in 2026.

The doctorate crowns several years of research by Prof. Dr. Ricardo Pereira e Silva and it recognises his clinical, academic and scientific distinction in Functional Urology and Neurourology, which are the main focus of his work.