AIM:To characterize the gastric myoelectric activity(GMA) and intra-abdominal pressure changes induced by emetic stimuli(apomorphine and cisplatin) in the ferret.METHODS:GMA and intra-abdominal pressure were recorded in conscious,unrestrained ferrets surgically implanted with radiotelemetry transmitters.Animals were challenged with apomorphine(0.25 mg/kg sc) and cisplatin(10 mg/kg ip),and the emetic response was quantif ied via direct observation and intra-abdominal pressure recording for 1 and 4 h,respectively.The GMA was analyzed by spectral analysis;the parameters used to characterize the GMA were the dominant frequency(DF) and the repartition of spectral power in the bradygastric,normogastric and tachygastric frequency ranges.RESULTS:Retches were identified on the intraabdominal pressure trace as peaks 0.30±1.01 s in duration and 59.57±2.74 mmHg in amplitude,vomit peaks were longer(0.82±0.06 s,P<0.01) and reached a higher pressure(87.73±8.12 mmHg,P<0.001).The number of retches and vomits quantified via direct observation [apomorphine:65.5 ± 11.8 retches + vomits(R+V),cisplatin:202.6±64.1 R+V] and intra-abdominal pressure(apomorphine:68.3±13.7 R+V,n=8;cisplatin:219.0±69.2 R+V,n=8) were correlated(r=0.97,P<0.0001) and the timing of emesis was consistent between the 2 methods.Apomorphine induced a decrease in normogastria from 45.48%±4.35% to 36.70±4.34%(n=8,P<0.05) but the DF of the slow waves was not changed [8.95±0.25 counts/min(cpm) vs 8.68±0.35 cpm,n=8,P> 0.05].Cisplatin induced a decrease in normogastria from 55.83%±4.30% to 29.22%±5.16% and an increase in bradygastria from 14.28%±2.32% to 31.19%±8.33%(n=8,P<0.001) but the DF(9.14±0.13 cpm) remained unchanged(P>0.05).The GMA changes induced by cisplatin preceded the emetic response as normogastria was reduced for 1 h before the onset of emesis(57.61%±5.66% to 39.91%±5.74%,n=6,P<0.05).Peri-emesis analysis revealed that the GMA was signif icantly disturbed during and immediately after,but not immediately before,the emetic episodes.CONCLUSION:The induction of emesis is reliably associated with a disrupted GMA,but changes may also occur prior to and following the emetic response. AIM: To characterize the gastric myoelectric activity (GMA) and intra-abdominal pressure changes induced by emetic stimuli (apomorphine and cisplatin) in the ferret. METHODS: GMA and intra-abdominal pressure were recorded in conscious, unrestrained ferrets surgically implanted with radiotelemetry transmitters . Animals were challenged with apomorphine (0.25 mg / kg sc) and cisplatin (10 mg / kg ip), and the emetic response was quantified via direct observation and intra-abdominal pressure recording for 1 and 4 h, respectively. The GMA was analyzed by spectral analysis; the parameters used to characterize the GMA were the dominant frequency (DF) and the repartition of spectral power in the bradygastric, normogastric and tachygastric frequency ranges.RESULTS: Retches were identified on the intraabdominal pressure trace as peaks 0.30 ± 1.01 s in duration and 59.57 ± 2.74 mmHg in amplitude, vomit peaks were longer (0.82 ± 0.06 s, P <0.01) and reached a higher pressure (87.73 ± 8.12 mmHg, P <0.001). The number of retches and vomits quantified via direct observation [apomorphine: 65.5 ± 11.8 retches + vomits (R + V), cisplatin: 202.6 ± 64.1 R + V] and intra-abdominal pressure (apomorphine: 68.3 ± 13.7 R + V, n = 8; : 219.0 ± 69.2 R + V, n = 8) were correlated (r = 0.97, P <0.0001) and the timing of emesis was consistent between the two methods. Apomorphine induced a decrease in normogastria from 45.48% ± 4.35% to 36.70 ± 4.34% (n = 8, P <0.05) but the DF of the slow waves was not changed [8.95 ± 0.25 counts / min (cpm) vs 8.68 ± 0.35 cpm, n = 8, P> 0.05] .Cisplatin induced a decrease in normogastria from 55.83% ± 4.30% to 29.22% ± 5.16% and an increase in bradygastria from 14.28% ± 2.32% to 31.19% ± 8.33% (n = 8, P <0.001) but the DF (9.14 ± 0.13 cpm) unchanged (P> 0.05) .The GMA changes induced by cisplatin preceded the emetic response as normogastria was reduced for 1 h before the onset of emesis (57.61% ± 5.66% to 39.91% ± 5.74%, n = 6, P <0.05) . Peri-emesis analysis revealed that the GMA was signif icantly disturbed and immediately after, but not immediately before, the emetic episodes. CONCLUSION: The induction of emesis is quite associated with a disrupted GMA, but changes may also occur prior to and following the emetic response.