4th International Workshop for the Study of Itch

描述(由申请人提供)：这份R13会议提案请求支持将于2007年9月9日至11日在加利福尼亚州举行的第四届国际瘙痒研究研讨会。本次研讨会的目的是将对了解瘙痒的基本机制及其管理以及瘙痒和疼痛之间的相互作用感兴趣的临床医生和研究人员聚集在一起。瘙痒是各种皮肤和全身疾病的常见症状，但在许多情况下，瘙痒处理不善，可能会像慢性疼痛一样使人虚弱，严重影响生活质量。因此，瘙痒是一个普遍存在的重要健康问题。拟议研讨会的主要目的是提供有关瘙痒与疼痛相关的潜在机制的最新信息，确定改进治疗的目标，并激发对瘙痒作为与疼痛同等的临床症状的研究兴趣。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This R13 conference proposal is requesting support for the 4th International Workshop on the Study of Itch, to be held in California September 9-11, 2007. The aim of this workshop is to bring together clinicians and researchers interested in understanding basic mechanisms of itch and its management, as well as interactions between itch and pain. Itch is a common symptom in a variety of skin and systemic disorders, yet in many cases the itch is poorly managed and can become as debilitating as chronic pain to the point of severely impacting the quality of life. Hence, itch represents a universally important health problem. The main objectives of the proposed workshop are to provide an update on the underlying mechanisms of itch in relation to pain, to identify targets for improved treatment, and to stimulate research interest in itch as a clinical symptom on a par with pain.