Chronic itch is associated with increased stress, anxiety, and other mood disorders. In turn, stress and anxiety exacerbate itch, leading to a vicious cycle that affects patient behavior (scratching) and worsens disease prognosis and quality of life. This cycle persists across chronic itch conditions of different etiologies and even to some extent in healthy individuals, suggesting that the final common pathway for itch processing (the central nervous system) plays a major role in the relationship between itch and anxiety. Pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments that reduce anxiety have shown promising anti-itch effects. Further research is needed to establish specific central mechanisms of the itch-anxiety cycle and provide new targets for treatment.

慢性瘙痒与压力增加，焦虑和其他情绪障碍有关。反过来，压力和焦虑会加剧瘙痒，导致恶性循环，影响患者的行为（抓挠）并恶化疾病的预后和生活质量。在不同病因的慢性瘙痒病中，甚至在某种程度上，在健康个体中，这种循环持续存在，这表明瘙痒的最终共同途径（中枢神经系统）在瘙痒与焦虑之间的关系中起着重要作用。减轻焦虑的药理学和非药理学治疗已显示出有希望的止痒作用。需要进一步的研究以建立瘙痒-焦虑循环的特定中心机制，并为治疗提供新的目标。