BENGALURU: Stress can cause neurons in our brains to activate and suppress the sensation of itching, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The team of researchers mapped a neural circuit in the brain that reveals the complex relationship between stress and itching, unearthing the little-understood process behind the psychosomatic response.
The focus of the study lay on the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), a brain region known to regulate stress, motivation and emotional states. The team used genetically engineered mouse models to identify a specific population of neurons in the LHA that is triggered by stress.
“We ran some pilot experiments, and saw that surprisingly, acute stress was able to suppress acute itching,” said Jagat Narayan Prajapati, a PhD student at the Centre for Neuroscience (CNS), IISc.
A short-term chemically induced itch and a psoriasis-like chronic itch model were observed after activating the stress neurons, and both models showed signs of abatement. The effects disappeared when the neurons were no longer activated. “By identifying the specific neural circuit that links stress to itch, we are opening the possibility of targeting these brain mechanisms to better manage chronic stress-induced worsening of the itch,” added assistant professor at CNS Arnab Barik.
The new findings offer a different direction, while considering treatments that seek to remedy itching, moving beyond the epidermal and treating at the neural level.