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Submitted via IRC for Bytram
For some people, particularly those who are elderly, even a light touch of the skin or contact with clothing can lead to unbearable itching. What's worse, anti-itch treatments, including hydrocortisone, don't provide much relief for this type of itching.
Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis have discovered, in mice, why a touch can cause such severe itching and, in the process, identified some possible therapeutic targets.
Their research, published May 4 in the journal Science, indicates that itching caused by touch is directly related to the number of touch receptors embedded in the skin. The fewer the receptors, the more likely it is that touching will induce itching.
Source: https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/when-light-touches-of-the-skin-cause-itching/
Jing Feng, Jialie Luo, Pu Yang, Junhui Du, Brian S. Kim, Hongzhen Hu. Piezo2 channel–Merkel cell signaling modulates the conversion of touch to itch. Science, 2018; 360 (6388): 530 DOI: 10.1126/science.aar5703
(Score: 4, Insightful) by bob_super on Friday May 18 2018, @08:49PM (1 child)
I'm sure the new head of the CIA will be glad to weaponize it: "I said I was not going to restart torturing, and a restrained detainee constantly itching is not technically in pain, senators. Anyone else with questions on the budget appropriation of more anthills?"
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 19 2018, @05:55AM
USA military studied a "gay bomb", why not an "itch bomb"?