Intraganglionic laminar endings (IGLEs) are vagal mechanoreceptors associated with the myenteric plexus of the upper GI tract. Interactions of IGLEs with both the neurons and capsules of myenteric ganglia suggest that these endings transduce tension to coordinate smooth muscle function and inform the brain about such activity. We recently found that neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) knockout mice have a selective loss of IGLEs in the small intestine (Fox et al., 2000, SFN meeting). To examine the role of these intestinal mechanoreceptors in ingestive behavior, meal patterns of NT-4 and wild-type mice consuming a novel pelleted (20mg, Bioserv) or liquid (Isocal, Mead Johnson) diet were monitored for two weeks. At the end of the experiment, the vagal dorsal motor nucleus (dmnX; cresyl violet) was examined for neuronal loss. Meal-pattern analysis revealed that after the animals had adapted to the diet and apparatus, meals in the NT-4 knockout mice were twice the duration of control meals for solid, but not liquid diet. H...