Issues the desensitisers (7)
I believe the answer is:
numbers
'issues' is the definition.
('number' can be a synonym of 'issue')
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for numbers that I've seen before include "Fourth OT book - figures" , "Quantities; Old Testament book" , "Figures, digits" , "Book of Bible; counts" , "Fourth book of the Old Testament" .)