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The total number of catecholamine (CA) and 5-hydroxy-trydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT) containing nerve cell bodies in groups A1-7 and B1-3 were counted using Falck-Hillarp fluorescence histochemistry and found to be about 5000 and about 6300 respectively. The total number of CA axons in the white matter of the spinal cord was found to be about 4300 at the cervical level and about 3300 at the lumbar level as revealed in cryostat sections. Together with previous studies our quantitative results suggest that individual cell bodies in locus coeruleus send axon collaterals to the spinal cord, cortex cerebri, cortex cerebelli and probably also other areas of the brain.

The state of the art in social work research indicates major difficulties concerning the knowledge basis of the discipline. This article aims to contribute to the discourse on the nature of social work research as a scientific activity. The starting‐point is the philosophy of science developed within the realist approach. It is argued that knowledge is primarily gained through activity in attempting to change social reality and through communication with other people. Knowledge is also recognized as knowing how to do something. The character of the social work knowledge may particularly be understood within the frame of reference presented by the realist approach. The history of the ideas of social work demonstrates the importance of understanding the interplay between theory and practice in social work. The article attempts to delimit the provisional borders of social work research. A model of social work research fields is presented.