Research Progress on the Pruritus-Sensing Neural Circuit Mediated by the Anterolateral Posterior Nucleus of the Thalamus

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jmpe.202618401

Author(s)

Hanyu Shao*, Wenjun Chen, Yuejuan Jiang, Wenqian Wang

Affiliation(s)

Jinhua Vocational and Technical University Medical College, Jinhua, Zhejiang, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

Pruritus causes a desire to scratch and thus removes skin irritants or foreign objects. Prolonged scratching may lead to skin ulcers and infections or lichenification; both are severe diseases that limit a person's ability to work and live and reduce their quality of life. The core neural mechanisms and circuits in the pathogenesis of pruritus have yet to be identified. The ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL) of the thalamus is a thalamic nucleus that receives sensory information from the contralateral trunk and limbs, and subsequently transmits pruritus-, pain-, touch- and nociception-related information to the somatosensory cortex to regulate sensation. Collectively, the following are recent developments in VPL-mediated pruritus transmission pathways and regulation. Assess the current state of research on VPL neural circuits in chronic pruritus and propose future directions for research to offer new strategies and theoretical support for developing clinical treatments for chronic pruritus.

Keywords

Prurception; Posterior Lateral Nucleus of the thalamus; Neural Circuitry; Mechanistic Regulation; Chronic Pruritus

References

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