By Elaine Vitone
Pain and itch have an
interesting relationship. If you are bitten by a mosquito, you can ease the
itch by scratching your skin. And if you take a dose of a powerful painkiller
like morphine, you're likely to itch. The interrelatedness of these two
experiences has made deciphering their neurobiology a real puzzler.
In this multilayered
soundscape, Sarah Ross, a Ph.D. assistant professor of neurobiology at the
University of Pittsburgh, discusses her recent breakthroughs with this head
scratcher. The team is now beginning to trace the circuit for itch, the least
understood of our somatic senses.
This Pitt Medcast was
inspired by "Scratching the Surface," a story from
the Summer 2013 issue of Pitt Med magazine. Special thanks to Pittsburgh musician Will Simmons for the music.
Labels: PittMed Magazine, University of Pittsburgh