Scientists itching to soothe eczema

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Their findings could offer hope to eczema sufferers as they could lead to new drugs to combat the condition that affects one in five children and one in 12 adults.

Those with kidney or liver disease and diabetes can also experience the uncontrollable urge to scratch.

The "itch gene" is active in a small group of nerve cells in the spinal cord where both pain and itch signals are transmitted from the skin to the brain.

Researchers, whose findings are reported in the journal Nature today, compared laboratory mice with a group specially bred not to have the itchy gene, called GRPR.

The ordinary mice scratched "vigorously" when exposed to chemical irritants. But the mice whose GRPR gene had been knocked out scratched far less.

Chronic itching can be a serious problem, leading to disrupted sleep and scarring.

The researchers believe drugs to suppress part of the nervous system could be developed which stop itchiness but do not dampen pain signals, which have an important protective function.