Annie Lowrey

One of the big ones, the first one that came out is a drug called dupixent, which is used commonly to treat asthma and atopic dermatitis, which is a form of eczema. It's a really common condition and can be absolutely miserable for folks. And it was really hard to treat the itching in that condition for a lot of people. And it turns out that dupixent works great.

And there's now a number of similar drugs. They often, if you look at the name, they end in U-M-A-B, right? Like dupixent is dupilumab, and these are the umabs. And these are biologic drugs that are helping modulate the body's immune response and affecting these cytokines. And there's a number of them. But research scientists...

And there's now a number of similar drugs. They often, if you look at the name, they end in U-M-A-B, right? Like dupixent is dupilumab, and these are the umabs. And these are biologic drugs that are helping modulate the body's immune response and affecting these cytokines. And there's a number of them. But research scientists...

And there's now a number of similar drugs. They often, if you look at the name, they end in U-M-A-B, right? Like dupixent is dupilumab, and these are the umabs. And these are biologic drugs that are helping modulate the body's immune response and affecting these cytokines. And there's a number of them. But research scientists...

are noting that now they know so much more about the circuits that are involved in chronic itch that there's a lot of drugs in the pipeline, a lot of studies that they're trying to do that are affecting other parts of these circuits and might really help people in the coming years. And so Gil Yasupovich, I was corresponding with him after the article came out,

are noting that now they know so much more about the circuits that are involved in chronic itch that there's a lot of drugs in the pipeline, a lot of studies that they're trying to do that are affecting other parts of these circuits and might really help people in the coming years. And so Gil Yasupovich, I was corresponding with him after the article came out,

are noting that now they know so much more about the circuits that are involved in chronic itch that there's a lot of drugs in the pipeline, a lot of studies that they're trying to do that are affecting other parts of these circuits and might really help people in the coming years. And so Gil Yasupovich, I was corresponding with him after the article came out,

And he indicated that there might be drugs for liver-relating itch in a few years, whereas right now there's really not a lot to offer people with that kind of itching.

And he indicated that there might be drugs for liver-relating itch in a few years, whereas right now there's really not a lot to offer people with that kind of itching.

And he indicated that there might be drugs for liver-relating itch in a few years, whereas right now there's really not a lot to offer people with that kind of itching.

I am so engaged that I'm less itchy than when I was nervous and just walked in the door to the studio. So I appreciate that. I really do. And there's all of these other things that modulate, right? Like anxiety increases itch. Sweating increases itch. It really is a complicated, complicated phenomenon to experience. Yeah.

I am so engaged that I'm less itchy than when I was nervous and just walked in the door to the studio. So I appreciate that. I really do. And there's all of these other things that modulate, right? Like anxiety increases itch. Sweating increases itch. It really is a complicated, complicated phenomenon to experience. Yeah.

I am so engaged that I'm less itchy than when I was nervous and just walked in the door to the studio. So I appreciate that. I really do. And there's all of these other things that modulate, right? Like anxiety increases itch. Sweating increases itch. It really is a complicated, complicated phenomenon to experience. Yeah.

Absolutely. Why do we feel anything? Right. I think that there is this sense that the body is kind of like a computer or, you know, a machine which is taking inputs and then creating outputs. And you can have some some problems within, you know, the machine like system that is processing from input to output.

Absolutely. Why do we feel anything? Right. I think that there is this sense that the body is kind of like a computer or, you know, a machine which is taking inputs and then creating outputs. And you can have some some problems within, you know, the machine like system that is processing from input to output.

Absolutely. Why do we feel anything? Right. I think that there is this sense that the body is kind of like a computer or, you know, a machine which is taking inputs and then creating outputs. And you can have some some problems within, you know, the machine like system that is processing from input to output.

But the truth is that all of our sensory experiences are coming from an enormous interplay of external stimuli going through this impossibly complicated computer that is hallucinating reality in every moment before us, right? We don't actually see anything. We don't actually feel anything. This is all coming through this system that is generating the hallucination of experience.

But the truth is that all of our sensory experiences are coming from an enormous interplay of external stimuli going through this impossibly complicated computer that is hallucinating reality in every moment before us, right? We don't actually see anything. We don't actually feel anything. This is all coming through this system that is generating the hallucination of experience.

But the truth is that all of our sensory experiences are coming from an enormous interplay of external stimuli going through this impossibly complicated computer that is hallucinating reality in every moment before us, right? We don't actually see anything. We don't actually feel anything. This is all coming through this system that is generating the hallucination of experience.

And I get that that sounds kind of moony and out there, but it's actually really, really true. I didn't include it in the piece, but one thing I talk to a lot of doctors about is, you know, how you can have itching and pain in limbs that don't exist anymore, right? If you've had an amputation of a foot or a hand, you can still feel things in it.