title: [Psychological aspects of pruritus and therapy options].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Besides biological factors, which cause or influence chronic pruritus, more and more attention has recently also been paid to psychological and psychoneuroimmunological factors which uphold the symptom.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review article gives an overview of the state of research regarding psychological and psychoneuroimmunological factors and the resulting therapeutic options.
  
  
  METHODS
  The article is based on a literature search in the PubMed database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Under experimental conditions, pruritus can be induced by verbal instructions and modulated by placebo and nocebo effects. Stressful life events can also induce pruritus or its exacerbation. This can also be demonstrated on a cellular level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge that pruritus intensity is modulated by cognitions, behavioral factors, and stress is important for the development and application of psychological interventions. More research should be done regarding psychological interventions in the treatment of chronic itch and they should be applied clinically more often.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Domagkstr. 22, 48149, Münster, Deutschland. astrid.stumpf@ukmuenster.de.|Kompetenzzentrum Chronischer Pruritus (KCP), Universitätsklinikum Münster, Münster, Deutschland. astrid.stumpf@ukmuenster.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stumpf
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schut
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Domagkstr. 22, 48149, Münster, Deutschland.|Kompetenzzentrum Chronischer Pruritus (KCP), Universitätsklinikum Münster, Münster, Deutschland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Nocebo; Placebo; Psychoneuroimmunology; Psychotherapy; Stress