Sympathetic innervation of the gastrointestinal tract arises from abdominal prevertebral ganglia (PVG) comprising the coeliac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric ganglia. These ganglia are integrating centres between the central nervous system and enteric nervous system and their output regulates intestinal motility, intestinal blood flow, and water and electrolyte secretion.1 Much of the synaptic input to PVG neurones arises from cholinergic mechanosensory neurones whose cell bodies lie in the gut wall and provide the PVG with information about the mechanical state of the gut. The mechanosensory (“intestinofugal”) neurones and their axons constitute the afferent limb of a peripheral reflex between enteric and sympathetic PVG neurones. The efferent limb of the reflex consists of the PVG neurones and their axons, which carry inhibitory sympathetic output back to the gut.2Experiments were performed in vitro to examine the peripheral reflex loop between colonic enteric neurones and sympathetic superior mesenteric ganglion (SMG) neurones in mouse. Preparations consisted of the SMG attached via intermesenteric and colonic nerves to a segment of distal colon.3 The distal end of the colonic segment was attached to a fluid filled reservoir. With this set up, the segment could empty its contents into the reservoir during a contraction …