以往不少实验认为

中缝核的5-羟色胺能系统与蓝斑核的去甲肾上腺素能系统在针刺镇痛过程中的作用是相互颉颃的.形态学观察表明

蓝斑核与中缝核之间存在着相互的纤维联系

两核团的相互关系以往也有一些报导:Jouvet提出破坏The effects of electrical stimulation of nucleus dorsal raphe (NDR) on the locus coeruleus (LC) unit firing were studied in un-anaesthetic paralyzed rats. The spontaneous discharge of LC cells was reduced by focal electrical stimulation of NDR and was significantly excited by lesion of NDR. This suggests that NDR has some tonic inhibitory action on LC under normal condition. After stopping stimulation of NDR and electroacupuncture (EA) the after-discharge of dorsal part of LC was mainly excited while that of ventral part of LC involving some subcoeruleus cells was mainly inhibited. It has been shown that there is a positive correlation between them. These results indicate that LC may be a common action link of both NDR stimulation and EA. The roles of dorsal part and ventral part of LC in mediating the effects of EA may be different. Their physiological function requires further investigation.