近年来

国内大量研究表明蓝斑(LC)参与了针刺的镇痛与调整过程

但对于蓝斑神经元在此过程中的机能状态和作用机制尚有争议:有人提出蓝斑与中缝核作用相反

是拮抗针刺镇痛的;而另一部分学者则认为蓝斑神经元可为针刺信号所激活

从而发挥了协同镇痛的积极作用。一般认为

神经元的机能活动可能与其内某些有关的酶活性变化密切相关。因此

本实验即以与神经元内代谢水平和机能活动相关的81 healthy

adult

male rats were selected and divided into the acupun- cture and the control groups for this experiment. The pain threshold of the acupuncture group was elevated significantly than the control. The optic densities (OD) of the histochemical components of Acid pho- sphatase(AcP)

Nonspecific Esterase (NsE) of the Locus Coeruleus in bo- th groups were determined with a microelectrophotometer and treated stati- stically. The result indicated that the enzymatic activity of AcP and NsE of acupuncture group in the Locus Coeruleus was significantly increased than that of the control. It was suggested that the neurons in the Locus Coeruleus might be in an active state of analgesia-accelerating and organi- smregulating.