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Comment
. 2014 May 7;82(3):503-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.04.026.

Interneurons scratch an itch

Paula Juliana Seadi Pereira  1 , Ethan A Lerner  2
Affiliations
Comment

Interneurons scratch an itch

Paula Juliana Seadi Pereira et al. Neuron. .

Abstract

Itch is immensely frustrating. Most studies focus on the cause of itch. In this issue of Neuron, Kardon et al. (2014) find that itch can be modulated by inhibitory neurons that produce dynorphin, an endogenous agonist of κ-opioid receptors.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Interneurons that Release Dynorphin Modulate Itch
Neurons that respond to itch, cold, and noxious stimuli innervate and are modulated by B5-I interneurons that produce dynorphin. Capsaicin, mustard oil, and menthol activate TRPV1, TRPA1, and TRPM8, respectively. B5-I, inhibitory neurons that are a focus of the report to which this Preview is directed. GRPR, gastrin-releasing peptide receptor. Npra, natriuretic peptide receptor A is the receptor for the B-type natriuretic peptide BNP, also known as Nppb. Image modified and reproduced under CC-BY license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/legalcode.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

  • Dynorphin acts as a neuromodulator to inhibit itch in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
    Kardon AP, Polgár E, Hachisuka J, Snyder LM, Cameron D, Savage S, Cai X, Karnup S, Fan CR, Hemenway GM, Bernard CS, Schwartz ES, Nagase H, Schwarzer C, Watanabe M, Furuta T, Kaneko T, Koerber HR, Todd AJ, Ross SE. Kardon AP, et al. Neuron. 2014 May 7;82(3):573-86. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.02.046. Epub 2014 Apr 10. Neuron. 2014. PMID: 24726382 Free PMC article.

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