Does chronic itching set the brain up for depression?

People who suffer from chronic itching in the form of atopic dermatitis are seven times more likely to develop a major depressive disorder.

This link is well-established, but the “why” remains elusive.

Are the depressive symptoms simply due to inflammation, sleep disruption, and the psychological distress of living with chronic illness? Or is it possible that atopic dermatitis (AD) could be somehow changing the brain itself?

In a new opinion piece, S...