More than Scratching the Surface: Recent Progress in Brain Mechanisms Underlying Itch and Scratch

LaMotte RH, Dong X, Ringkamp M. Sensory neurons and circuits mediating itch. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2014, 15: 19–31. Yosipovitch G, Bernhard JD. Clinical practice. Chronic pruritus. N. Engl. J. Med. 2013, 368: 1625–1634. Dong X, Dong X. Peripheral and Central Mechanisms of Itch. Neuron 2018, 98: 482–494. Ji RR. Recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of pain and itch: the second special issue. Neurosci Bull 2018, 34: 1–3. Miao X, Huang Y, Liu TT, Guo R, Wang B, Wang XL, et al. TNF-alpha/TNFR1 signaling is required for the full expression of acute and chronic itch in mice via peripheral and central mechanisms. Neurosci Bull 2018, 34: 42–53. Matthes HW, Maldonado R, Simonin F, Valverde O, Slowe S, Kitchen I, et al. Loss of morphine-induced analgesia, reward effect and withdrawal symptoms in mice lacking the mu-opioid-receptor gene. Nature 1996, 383: 819–823. Gao ZR, Chen WZ, Liu MZ, Chen XJ, Wan L, Zhang XY, et al. Tac1-expressing neurons in the periaqueductal gray facilitate the itch-scratching cycle via descending regulation. Neuron 2019, 101: 45–59 e49. Bourane S, Duan B, Koch SC, Dalet A, Britz O, Garcia-Campmany L, et al. Gate control of mechanical itch by a subpopulation of spinal cord interneurons. Science 2015, 350: 550–554. Spruijt BM, Cools AR, Gispen WH. The periaqueductal gray: a prerequisite for ACTH-induced excessive grooming. Behav Brain Res 1986, 20: 19–25. Kalueff AV, Stewart AM, Song C, Berridge KC, Graybiel AM, Fentress JC. Neurobiology of rodent self-grooming and its value for translational neuroscience. Nat Rev Neurosci 2016, 17: 45–59.