Vagally mediated gastric motor and emetic reflexes evoked by stimulation of the antral mucosa in anaesthetized ferrets.

In the urethane-anaesthetized ferret chemical (NaCl, NaOH or HCl) or mechanical (stroking) stimulation of the gastric antral mucosa evoked a decrease in corpus pressure and inhibition of contractions in the presence of guanethidine, adrenalectomy and sectioned greater splanchnic nerves. 2. The fall in corpus pressure was present following administration of atropine but was abolished by vagotomy. 3. Preliminary evidence, using 100 mM-NaOH as the stimulus, is presented that the effects on corpus motility are due to simultaneous activation of the vagal efferents supplying the intramural non-adrenergic non-cholinergic inhibitory neurones and inhibition of those supplying the intramural cholinergic neurones. 4. The possible roles of this antro-corpus vago-vagal reflex in the regulation of gastric emptying and in the prodromal phase of vomiting are discussed.