Activated mammalian target of rapamycin (P-mTOR) has been shown to maintain the sensitivity of subsets of small-diameter primary afferent A-nociceptors. Local or systemic inhibition of the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway reduced punctate mechanical and cold sensitivity in neuropathic pain and therefore offered a new approach to chronic pain control. In this study, we have investigated the effec...

It has been reported that 10-50% of patients with pruritus but no skin rash have an underlying systemic disease and up to 70% a psychiatric one. The aim of this retrospective study was to review the records of a large number of patients with chronic pruritus for concomitant diseases and treatment options. Medical records of 139 patients (52 males, 87 females) with chronic pruritus who visited t...

Dear Editor, A 56-year-old Indian woman with obesity underwent bariatric surgery (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy). She had gained 10 kg over the 3 years preceding the surgery after changing to a sedentary job. For 2 years, she had been having localised itch over the paraspinal region of her left upper back. Examination revealed a localised hyperpigmented patch over her left upper back (Fig. 1)...

BACKGROUND The effect of acupuncture on nociceptive pain is well documented, but effects on nociceptive itch have been contradictory. OBJECTIVES To evaluate possible effects of acupuncture on the occurrence, distribution and function of sensory nerve fibres in human skin. METHODS Ten subjects were treated by inserting 10 acupuncture needles subcutaneously at the upper lateral aspect of one ...

231 words 31 Article: 4,304 words. 32 33 Articles in PresS. J Neurophysiol (June 18, 2014). doi:10.1152/jn.00827.2013 Copyright © 2014 by the American Physiological Society. 2 Abstract. Pruritus of End-Stage-Renal-Disease is a multifactorial symptom of complex etiology 34 not yet fully understood. In this study we have investigated the cerebral perfusion patterns at rest 35 in ESRD patients on ...

Notalgia paresthetica refers to an isolated mononeuropathy involving chronic localized itch or paresthesia most often at the skin of the scapula or surrounding regions. There are no specific skin manifestations except those arising from chronic scratching and rubbing. The specific etiology remains unknown; however, it has been theorized that the neuropathic itch is caused by sensory nerve entra...

Persistent pruritus is a common disabling dermatologic symptom associated with different etiologic factors. These include primary skin conditions, as well as neuropathic, psychogenic, or systemic disorders like chronic liver disease. Defective clearance of potential pruritogenic substances that activate itch-specific neurons innervating the skin is thought to contribute to cholestatic pruritus....

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2014.05.028 0304-3959/ 2014 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. DOI of original article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2014.05.006 Itch (also known as pruritus) is transmitted from the skin to the spinal cord by specific subsets of cutaneous sensory neurons that are thought to be distinct from those...