NC State Study: Gene Associated With Autism Linked To Itch Response

A pilot study from North Carolina State University has found that a gene associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and pain hypersensitivity may actually decrease itch response. Atopic dermatitis and pain hypersensitivity are both conditions associated with some types of ASD.

“Since atopic dermatitis is often associated with ASD and CNTNAP2 is both linked to pain hypersensitivity in ASD and expressed in almost all DRG sensory neurons, we wondered whether CNTNAP2 might also contribute to itch behavior,” says Santosh Mishra, assistant professor of neuroscience at NC State and author of the study.

https://news.ncsu.edu/2021/07/gene-associated-with-autism-linked-to-itch-response/