The University of Minnesota are undertaking a study which is showing that scratching has the ability to relieve an itch.The current understanding of an "itch" is believed to be induced by histamines released by the "itchy" skin, which is passed to neurons in the brain via activity in the spinal cord, and then into the cerebral cortex, where the sensation is interpreted and gives the itching sensation. Scratching relieves this by turning off the activity in the spinal cord nerves, thus preventing the message from reaching the brain.
It is hoped that that same "itching" inhibition can be achieved through this research, without the negative drawbacks of actually scratching for patients suffering from chronic itching associated with ecxema, AIDS, Hodhkin's disease, and some patients suffering from renal failure or liver disease, and psychiatric disorders. These include lack of sleep, depression, post-herpetic pruritis, or even causing patients to cause large amounts of damage to them selves through excessive scratching. This group of neuroscientists are trying to understand something every dog and cat knows.
For more information, see:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090428112615.htm
