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KMID : 0984920090110020041
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Journal of Skin Barrier Research
2009 Volume.11 No. 2 p.41 ~ p.47
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Neural sensitization caused by skin inflammation
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Akihiko Ikoma
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Abstract
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Itch is a common symptom accompanying many skin diseases and decreases the quality of life. Most of itch is, however, difficult to be treated by therapeutic options available nowadays. Although the identification of the itch-specific neural pathway was a breakthrough in itch research, it was not enough to solve the lack of therapeutic methods. On the other hand, research works on pain mechanisms have been showing that neural sensitization plays an important role in diseases with chronic diseases. Our group has been demonstrating similar phenomena, which are presumably caused by neural sensitization, in skin diseases with chronic pruritus. Patients with atopic dermatitis, for instance, feel itchy by stimuli that are normally not itchy. Moreover, stimuli that are normally painful and inhibit itch can induce itch in patients with atopic dermatitis. Previous studies on pain sensitization have revealed that prostanoids, neurotrophic factors and other inflammatory mediators can sensitize neural receptors, i.e. lower their threshold and cause action potential to arise more frequently. On the other hand, central neural mechanism is likely to be involved in neural sensitization, too, because itch and pain sensitization can occur without skin inflammation. Neural sensitization must always be considered in therapies for itchy diseases and can be the target of drug development for itch.
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KEYWORD
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Histamine, Itch sensitization, Atopic dermatitis, Alloknesis, Hyperknesis
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