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Qualia

Scratching at the neuroscience of itch

January 14, 2013 | Author:Summer Allen, Graduate and Postdoc, Brown University
Scratching at the neuroscience of itch

It may seem obvious that there must be at least one type of neuron that responds to things that make us itchy like a wool sweater or an allergic reaction to a new lotion. Until recently, however, scientists were unsure whether there were neurons that specifically process itchy stimuli or whether these neurons also process a related but very different sensation: pain.