The contribution of the vagus nerve to viral transneuronal labeling of brain structures from the ovaries demonstrated recently by us was investigated. Unilateral vagotomy was performed prior to ipsilateral intraovarian virus injection. Virus-infected neurons were visualized by immunostaining. In vagotomized rats such neurons were detected only in certain cell groups of the brain (parapyramidal nucleus, A(1), A(5) cell group, caudal raphe nuclei, hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, lateral hypothalamus). Vagotomy interfered with labeling of several structures that were labeled in controls, including area postrema, nucleus of the solitary tract, dorsal vagal complex, nucleus ambiguus, A(7) cell group, Barrington's nucleus, locus coeruleus, periaqueductal gray, dorsal hypothalamus. Findings provide a morphological basis to study the functional significance of brain structures presumably involved in the control of ovarian function and acting via the vagus or the sympathetic nerves.