Researchers have identified the molecule that controls the itchy scratching function of the brain. This peptide also acts to regulate other functions.
Victims of parasites or insects, suffering from psoriasis or eczema, millions of people will now have the answer to their question: why do we scratch? This pruritus which poisons our life and does not forget any part of our body is due to a molecule: brain natteruretic peptide (BNP). Our nerve cells send this neurotransmitter to the brain which “controls the function” of scratching. Researchers in molecular genetics at the National Institutes of Health have demonstrated this and have published the results of their work in the journal Science. They genetically modified mice to make them incapable of secreting BNP. They then gave them a substance that should have made them itchy: but in the absence of BNP, the mice showed no signs of it.
So, by stopping the production of the BNP molecule with drugs, could man be freed from this torture? Not that easy. Indeed, this molecule plays a role in other sensory functions such as the reaction to pain, heat or stings. It is also involved in the regulation of blood pressure. The development of a drug will require finding the right dosage to eliminate its deleterious effects and maintain its essential functions.
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