Advances in itch research have elucidated differences between itch and pain but have also blurred the distinction between them. There is a long debate about how somatic sensations including touch, pain, itch, and temperature sensitivity are encoded by the nervous system. Research suggests that each sensory modality is processed along a fixed, direct-line communication system from the skin to the brain.
Itch: Mechanisms and Treatment presents a timely update on all aspects of itch research and the clinical treatment of itch that accompanies many dermatological conditions including psoriasis, neuropathic itch, cutaneous t-cells lymphomas, and systemic diseases such as kidney and liver disease and cancer.
Composed of contributions from distinguished researchers around the world, the book explores topics such as:
- Neuropathic itch
- Peripheral neuronal mechanism of itch
- The role of PAR-2 in neuroimmune communication and itch
- Mrgprs as itch receptors
- The role of interleukin-31 and oncostatin M in itch and neuroimmune communication
- Spinal coding of itch and pain
- Spinal microcircuits and the regulation of itch
Examining new findings on cellular and molecular mechanisms, the book is a compendium of the most current research on itch, its prevalence in society, and the problems associated with treatment.