We aimed to evaluate the gastric relaxant capacity of the 5-HT 1/7-receptor agonist 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT) in conscious dogs and to clarify the mechanism of action by use of selective antagonists, vagotomy, and in vitro experiments. A barostat enabled us to monitor the intragastric volume in response to different treatments (intravenously administered) before and after supradiaphragmatic vagotomy [results presented as the maximum volume change after treatment (mean; n ϭ 5-11)]. In vitro experiments were performed with isolated muscle strips cut from four different stomach regions of the vagotomized dogs [results were fitted to the operational model of agonism to determine the efficacy parameter (n ϭ 5)]. 5-CT (0.5-10 g/kg) caused a dose-dependent gastric relaxation (29 -267 ml) that was completely blocked by the selective 5-HT7-receptor antagonist SB-269970 (50 g/kg). After vagotomy, the relaxation to 10 g/kg 5-CT was significantly less pronounced (73 vs. 267 ml; P Ͻ 0.05) but still blocked by SB-269970, whereas the response to the nitric oxide donor nitroprusside was similar to that before vagotomy (178 vs. 218 ml). In vitro, 5-CT concentration dependently inhibited the PGF 2␣-contracted muscle strips before and after vagotomy. Although before and after vagotomy the response in every region was mediated by 5-HT7 receptors (apparent affinity dissociation constant: SB-269970, 8.2-8.6 vs. 8.3-8.6, respectively), the response after vagotomy was less efficacious (log : 1.9 to 0.5 vs. 1.4 to Ϫ0.1). The results indicate that the 5-CT-induced proximal stomach relaxation in conscious dogs before and after vagotomy is mediated via 5-HT7 receptors. The decreased efficacy of 5-CT in vitro after vagotomy is probably related to vagotomy-induced changes in receptor density or coupling efficiency and provides a possible explanation for the decreased in vivo response to 5-CT after vagotomy.5-HT7; efficacy distribution; vagotomy; barostat IN BETWEEN MEALS, THE PROXIMAL stomach has a high basal muscle tone. This tone is partially due to the high resting membrane potential of the proximal stomach muscle cells and the vagally mediated cholinergic input (4, 9). The tone of the proximal stomach decreases to accommodate food. This reflex relaxation is believed to be mainly mediated by nitric oxide (NO) release from the nitrergic efferent nerves. Indeed, the NO synthase inhibitor N G -monomethyl-L-arginine impairs gastric accommodation and enhances meal-induced satiety in humans (28).Different studies have shown the possibility of inducing gastric relaxation by activation of 5-HT receptors. The antimigraine drug sumatriptan, which has affinity at different 5-HT 1 -receptor subtypes, was shown to induce feline and human gastric fundus relaxation (27), indicating therapeutic potential in the treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) (6, 26). In dogs, studied with a barostat, sumatriptan shifted gastric pressure-volume curves toward higher volumes and enhanced gastric accommodation, an effect mediated by 5-HT 1B recepto...