Blockade of GABA(A) receptors in the dorsal vagal complex produces marked gastric motor excitation. This effect is abolished by a prior microinjection of a non-selective excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist. Here we present functional evidence for kainate and NMDA receptor-mediated gastric excitation in the dorsal vagal complex. Microinjections into the dorsal vagal complex were performed in alpha-chloralose-anesthetized rats using multi-barrelled glass micropipettes while recording intragastric pressure and motility. Kainic acid (30 and 100 pmol in 30 nl) and NMDA (100 and 300 pmol) produced dose-related increases in intragastric pressure and motility. The gastric responses to kainate (30 pmol) and NMDA were selectively abolished by prior microinjection 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (600 pmol, 60 nl) and DL-2-amino-5-phosphanopentanoic acid (2 nmol), respectively. Atropine (1 mg/kg, i.v.) pretreatment blocked kainate-, NMDA- and L-glutamate-induced gastric excitation. Thus, both kainate- and NMDA-receptors in the dorsal vagal complex can independently cause vagally-mediated gastric motor excitation.