Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 2, 2026

Cheek Injection Model for Simultaneous Measurement of Pain and Itch-related Behaviors
Published on: September 27, 2019
Evolving understanding on the aetiology of thermally provoked itch
1Department of Dermatology, Course of Integrated Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Background And Objectives:
Itch is one of the major symptoms in dermatology clinics, and severely impairs the quality of life. Itch is frequently produced by environmental stimuli, especially heat or warmth. Changes of temperature on the skin surface and noxious heat stimuli augment and develop itch, respectively. Thermally provoked itch is sometimes intractable with existing treatments.
Data Bases And Data Treatment:
Recent researches, linking heat sensation and itch, were searched in MEDLINE literature database through PubMed.
Results:
Recent studies of the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1), the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2), which link noxious heat and itch, contribute to a much better understanding of the thermally evoked itch process. From a clinical perspective, a warm sensation is a major provocative factor for subjects with atopic dermatitis. The accumulation of artemin (also known as enovin or neublastin) in the dermis of lesional skin can possibly provide a pathological mechanism for warmth-provoked itch.
Conclusions:
This mini-review describes recent results of both basic and clinical research related to thermally provoked itch.
Related Concept Videos
Thermosensation
Skin Diseases and Disorders
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Body Temperature
Thermoregulation
Mechanism of heat transfer
Increased Body Temperature

