Dynorphin acts as a neuromodulator to inhibit itch in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kardon AP
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4022838 | biostudies-other | 2014 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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Dynorphin acts as a neuromodulator to inhibit itch in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
Kardon Adam P AP Polgár Erika E Hachisuka Junichi J Snyder Lindsey M LM Cameron Darren D Savage Sinead S Cai Xiaoyun X Karnup Sergei S Fan Christopher R CR Hemenway Gregory M GM Bernard Carcha S CS Schwartz Erica S ES Nagase Hiroshi H Schwarzer Christoph C Watanabe Masahiko M Furuta Takahiro T Kaneko Takeshi T Koerber H Richard HR Todd Andrew J AJ Ross Sarah E SE
Neuron 20140410 3
Menthol and other counterstimuli relieve itch, resulting in an antipruritic state that persists for minutes to hours. However, the neural basis for this effect is unclear, and the underlying neuromodulatory mechanisms are unknown. Previous studies revealed that Bhlhb5(-/-) mice, which lack a specific population of spinal inhibitory interneurons (B5-I neurons), develop pathological itch. Here we characterize B5-I neurons and show that they belong to a neurochemically distinct subset. We provide c ...[more]
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