The simultaneous discharges of two neurons in N. Pf and RF and the influences on them by stimulating central gray matter.

This paper employs the method of simultaneous recording of the electric discharges of two neurons with two microelectrodes to study the interrelationship of simultaneous electric activities of pain excitation neurons (PEN) and pain inhibition neurons (PIN) in N. parafascicularis (Pf) of thalamus and reticular formation (RF) of midbrain in 42 rats. The results prove: (i) There are both PEN and PIN in RF in midbrain and they act coordinately; (ii) noxious messages may simultaneously act on PEN and PIN in N. Pf and RF, and the reciprocal coordination of electric activities of these two kinds of neurons is very obvious; (iii) stimulating central gray matter or injecting morphine may weaken the activities of PEN simultaneously, with the opposite effects on PIN.