Rubbing Skin Activates Itch-Relief Neural Pathway (IMAGE)

Society for Neuroscience

Rubbing Skin Activates Itch-Relief Neural Pathway

Caption

Schematic diagram of mechanisms underlying itch relief by stroking skin. Rubbing or stroking of the skin activates vesicular glutamate transporter 3+-low threshold mechanoreceptors (VGLUT3+-LTMRs; red), followed by excitation of itch inhibitory interneurons (blue) in the superficial dorsal horn. The inhibitory interneurons use dynorphin as a neurotransmitter to inhibit pruritogen-responsive neurons (green).

Credit

Sakai et al., JNeurosci 2020

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