Papers of the Week

Itch severity in chronic itch patients is influenced by mental state. However, the brain network mediating this nuisance relationship remains unknown. The medial parietal cortex (MPC) is a key hub of the default mode network (DMN) that regulates the mental state and also a brain region selective for itch (i.e., itch, but not pain, activates the MPC). Moreover, antidepressants are used in the treatment of chronic itch and are well known to alter activity in DMN.