THERE’S nothing like a good scratch, but how does it take away the itchiness? Researchers have identified the neurons in monkeys that are dampened by scratching, a finding that could lead to new ways of alleviating itching in humans.
In people, a variety of stimuli, including chemicals like histamine, prompt sensory neurons to fire, sending a signal via the spinothalamic tract (STT) to the brain, prompting an itchy feeling.
To find out which of these neurons are suppressed by scratching, Glenn Giesler at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and colleagues implanted electrodes into the spinal tract of anaesthetised…
