RESUMEN
<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the role of motilin in paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of hypothalamus on the regulation of gastric motility and the mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunohistochemistry and microinjection of motilin into PVN were used to observe motilin neural cells in PVN, the neural path between PVN and dorsal vagal complex (DVC) and the changes of gastric motility in conscious rats.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) There were motilin immunoreactive-cells in PVN and a significant increase was found in groups of fasting and HCL-perfusion into duodenum. (2) HRP-positive cells were found in PVN after microinjection HRP into dorsal nucleus of vagal nerve. It proved that there was neural relationship between PVN and DVC. (3) The amplitude and frequency of gastric motility increased significantly by microinjection motilin into PVN in conscious rats. The effects produced by motilin could be abolished by vagotomy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>All these results presented imply that motilin in PVN may increase gastric motility through PVN-DVC-Vagal nerve axis.</p>