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The imagined itch: brain circuitry supporting nocebo-induced itch in atopic dermatitis patients.

ABSTRACT: Psychological factors are known to significantly modulate itch in patients suffering from chronic itch. Itch is also highly susceptible to both placebo and nocebo (negative placebo) effects. Brain activity likely supports nocebo-induced itch, but is currently unknown.We collected functional MRI (fMRI) data from atopic dermatitis (AD) patients, in a within-subject design, and contrast brain response to nocebo saline understood to be allergen vs open-label saline control. Exploratory analyses compared results to real allergen itch response and placebo responsiveness, evaluated in the same patients.Nocebo saline produced greater itch than open saline control (P < 0.01). Compared to open saline, nocebo saline demonstrated greater fMRI response in caudate, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and intraparietal sulcus (iPS) - brain regions important for cognitive executive and motivational processing. Exploratory analyses found that subjects with greater dlPFC and caudate activation to nocebo-induced itch also demonstrated greater dlPFC and caudate activation, respectively, for real allergen itch. Subjects reporting greater nocebo-induced itch also demonstrated greater placebo reduction of allergen-evoked itch, suggesting increased generalized modulation of itch perception.Our study demonstrates the capacity of nocebo saline to mimic both the sensory and neural effects of real allergens and provides an insight to the brain mechanisms supporting nocebo-induced itch in AD, thus aiding our understanding of the role that expectations and other psychological factors play in modulating itch perception in chronic itch patients.

SUBMITTER: Napadow V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4609272 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The imagined itch: brain circuitry supporting nocebo-induced itch in atopic dermatitis patients.

Napadow V V Li A A Loggia M L ML Kim J J Mawla I I Desbordes G G Schalock P C PC Lerner E A EA Tran T N TN Ring J J Rosen B R BR Kaptchuk T J TJ Pfab F F

Allergy 20150910 11

<h4>Background</h4>Psychological factors are known to significantly modulate itch in patients suffering from chronic itch. Itch is also highly susceptible to both placebo and nocebo (negative placebo) effects. Brain activity likely supports nocebo-induced itch, but is currently unknown.<h4>Methods</h4>We collected functional MRI (fMRI) data from atopic dermatitis (AD) patients, in a within-subject design, and contrast brain response to nocebo saline understood to be allergen vs open-label saline ...[more]

PMID: 26280659

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Project description:BackgroundPatients with atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibit heterogeneous clinical phenotypes, reflecting different combinations of itch and lesional severity. AD with severe itch but clear-moderate lesions, also known as itch-dominant AD, is a common clinical phenotype.ObjectivesTo evaluate abrocitinib efficacy in patients with moderate-to-severe AD who have itch-dominant AD.MethodsThis post hoc analysis includes pooled data from clinical trials of patients with moderate-to-severe AD receiving abrocitinib (100 or 200 mg) as monotherapy (phase 2b; phase 3 JADE MONO-1 and JADE MONO-2) or in combination with topical therapy (phase 3 JADE COMPARE). Data from the ongoing long-term JADE EXTEND trial (data cutoff April 2020) were also evaluated. Itch-dominant AD was defined as baseline Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (PP-NRS) score of 7-10 and Investigator's Global Assessment of 0-3 or Eczema Area and Severity Index of 0‒21. Assessments included a ≥4-point improvement in PP-NRS (PP-NRS4), PP-NRS score of 0 (no itch) or 1 (little itch) in patients with PP-NRS score ≥2 at baseline, ≥4-point improvement from baseline in Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM-4), Patient Global Assessment (PtGA) of clear or almost clear, and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score of 0 or 1 (no impact or little impact of AD on quality of life [QoL]).ResultsIn the pooled monotherapy trials, 37% of patients had itch-dominant AD at baseline. As early as Week 2, more patients with itch-dominant AD achieved PP-NRS4 with abrocitinib 100 mg (35%) and abrocitinib 200 mg (57%) versus placebo (7%); 6% and 22% versus 0%, respectively, achieved PP-NRS 0/1. More patients achieved a PtGA of clear/almost clear at Week 12 with abrocitinib 100 mg (28%) and abrocitinib 200 mg (45%) than placebo (9%). Additionally, abrocitinib led to clinically meaningful improvements in POEM and DLQI. Most patients with itch-dominant AD experienced itch improvement over time with abrocitinib monotherapy or with concomitant topical therapy; 86%-87% and 62%-67% of patients had no itch-moderate itch and clear-moderate lesions by weeks 24 and 48, respectively.ConclusionsAbrocitinib is highly efficacious in patients with itch-dominant AD, demonstrating rapid, deep, and sustained improvements in itch and clinically meaningful improvements in patients' QoL.Trial registration numbersNCT02780167; NCT03349060; NCT03575871; NCT03720470; NCT03422822.

Dataset Information

The imagined itch: brain circuitry supporting nocebo-induced itch in atopic dermatitis patients.

Publications

The imagined itch: brain circuitry supporting nocebo-induced itch in atopic dermatitis patients.

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