The scratch reflex is an automatic response to the activation of sensory neurons located on the surface of the body. Sensory neurons can be activated via stimulation, such as a parasite on the body, but can also be activated by responding to a chemical stimulus that produces an itching sensation. During a scratch reflex, a limb reaches toward and rubs against the site on the body surface that has been stimulated. The scratch reflex has been extensively studied to understand the functioning of neural networks in vertebrates. Despite decades of research, key aspects of the scratch reflex are still unknown, such as the neural mechanisms by which the reflex is terminated.
>>>PUT SHARE BUTTONS HERE<<<
👉 Reflex to scratch in the context of Itching
An itch (also known as pruritus) is a sensation that causes a strong desire or reflex to scratch. Itches have many similarities to pain, and while both are unpleasant sensory experiences, their behavioral response patterns are different. Pain creates a withdrawal reflex, whereas itches lead to a scratch reflex.
Unmyelinated nerve fibers for itches and pain both originate in the skin. Information for them is conveyed centrally in two distinct systems that both use the same nerve bundle and spinothalamic tract.