Uncontrollable chronic itching, often a symptom of eczema and psoriasis, is completely different from the temporary, milder itching a person experiences through a mosquito bite. And now, scientists say they have uncovered the mechanisms as to why this is.
Researchers from the US and China say that as well as involving the usual suspects that transmit itch signals - "itch" nerve cells or neurons - chronic itching also utilizes pain neurons, intensifying the sensation of the itch.
To reach their findings, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, the researchers created genetically modified mice who have a continuously active protein, called BRAF, transmitting signals inside itch neurons.
According to the scientists, both the BRAF gene and the protein it makes play a part in the body's response to pain, but it is not clear if the gene plays a role in the response to itch.
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