Dissecting the precise nature of itch-evoked scratching.

ABSTRACT: Itch is a discrete and irritating sensation tightly coupled to a drive to scratch. Acute scratching developed evolutionarily as an adaptive defense against skin irritants, pathogens, or parasites. In contrast, the itch-scratch cycle in chronic itch is harmful, inducing escalating itch and skin damage. Clinically and preclinically, scratching incidence is currently evaluated as a unidimensional motor parameter and believed to reflect itch severity. We propose that scratching, when appreciated as a complex, multidimensional motor behavior, will yield greater insight into the nature of itch and the organization of neural circuits driving repetitive motor patterns. We outline the limitations of standard measurements of scratching in rodent models and present new approaches to observe and quant

SUBMITTER: Wimalasena NK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8497439 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature