Itch is a somatosensory sensation that informs the organism about the presence of
potentially harmful substances or parasites, and initiates scratching to remove the threat. Itch-
inducing (pruritogenic) substances activate primary afferent neurons in the skin through
interactions with specific receptors that converts the stimulus into an electrical signal. These
signals are conveyed to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord through the release of
neurotransmitters such as natriuretic polypeptide b and somatostatin, leading to an …