How best to fight that nasty itch - from new insights into the neuroimmunological, neuroendocrine, and neurophysiological bases of pruritus to novel therapeutic approaches

While the enormous clinical and psychosocial importance of pruritus in many areas of medicine and the detrimental effects of chronic 'itch' on the quality of life of an affected individual are widely appreciated, the complexity of this sensation is still often grossly underestimated. The current Controversies feature highlights this complexity by portraying pruritus as a truly interdisciplinary problem at the crossroads of neurophysiology, neuroimmunology, neuropharmacology, protease research, internal medicine, and dermatology, which is combated most successfully if one keeps the multilayered nature of 'itch' in mind and adopts a holistic treatment approach - beyond the customary, frequently frustrane monotherapy with histamine receptor antagonists. In view of the often unsatisfactory, unidimensional, and altogether rather crude standard instruments for pruritus management that we still tend to use in clinical practice today, an interdisciplinary team of pruritus experts here critically examines recent progress in pruritus research that future itch management must take into consideration. Focusing on new insights into the neuroimmunological, neuroendocrine, and neurophysiological bases of pruritus, and discussing available neuropharmacological tools, specific research avenues are highlighted, whose pursuit promises to lead to novel, and hopefully more effective, forms of pruritus management.

Ko, M C (author)
Bromm, B (author)
Wei, E T (author)
Bigliardi, P (author)
Siebenhaar, F (author)
Hashizume, H (author)
Misery, L (author)
Bergasa, N V (author)
Kamei, C (author)
Schouenborg, JensLund University,Lunds universitet,Neurofysiologi,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Neurophysiology,Lund University Research Groups(Swepub:lu)mphy-jsc (author)
Roostermann, D (author)
Szabo, T (author)
Maurer, M (author)
Bigliardi-Qi, M (author)
Meingassner, J G (author)
Hossen, M A (author)
Schmelz, M (author)
Steinhoff, M (author)
NeurofysiologiForskargrupper vid Lunds universitet (creator_code:org_t)

By the author/editor: Biro, T; Ko, M C; Bromm, B; Wei, E T; Bigliardi, P; Siebenhaar, F; show more...; Hashizume, H; Misery, L; Bergasa, N V; Kamei, C; Schouenborg, Jen ...; Roostermann, D; Szabo, T; Maurer, M; Bigliardi-Qi, M; Meingassner, J G; Hossen, M A; Schmelz, M; Steinhoff, M; show less...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Clinical Medicin ...; and Dermatology and ...

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.