title: [Pruritus: considerable progress in pathophysiology].
abstract: Pruritus is defined as "an unpleasant sensation that causes the need to scratch". This is not a small pain. It seems that pruriceptors exist but their level of separation from nociceptive receptors is still debated. Pathways of pruritus were identified from the skin (around the dermo-epidermal junction) to the brain. Many mediators are involved in pruritus but there are at least a histaminergic and a non-histaminergic pathway (PAR-2dependent). Similarly to pain, gate control or peripheral and central sensitization mechanisms have been highlighted in pruritus. These pathophysiological advances are important and anticipate therapeutic advances, that will be very useful for the symptomatic treatment of pruritus (poorly efficient at present).
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des neurosciences de Brest (EA4685), université de Bretagne occidentale, faculté de médecine, rue Camille Desmoulins, 29200 Brest, France service de dermatologie, CHU de Brest, 2, avenue Foch, 29200 Brest, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Misery
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D018494:Histamine Agents; D006801:Humans; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D044464:Receptor, PAR-2 / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D018494:Histamine Agents; D044464:Receptor, PAR-2