To examine neural control of renal function during pneumoperitoneum, renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) was measured in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats that had their entire nervous system intact or that had undergone lower thoracic dorsal rhizotomy or abdominal vagotomy. During pneumoperitoneum with intraabdominal pressure (IAP) of 10 mmHg, the mean arterial pressure did not change, but central venous pressure increased by 10 mmHg in all groups. In intact rats, the RSNA increased to 285 +/- 22% during pneumoperitoneum and gradually recovered after release of the insufflation. The RSNA responses decreased during pneumoperitoneum in rats with dorsal rhizotomy or vagotomy compared to responses in intact rats. In intact rats the urine volume and Na+ excretion decreased during pneumoperitoneum and increased just after insufflation release. Dorsal rhizotomy, vagotomy, or renal denervation did not alter the antidiuretic and antinatriuretic responses during pneumoperitoneum; however, diuretic and natriuretic responses were completely abolished by either of these denervations following insufflation release. These results suggest that oliguria during pneumoperitoneum was not due to neural control of renal function but probably to a mechanical influence induced by the elevated IAP. On the other hand, diuretic and natriuretic responses after insufflation release were thought to be a neurally mediated response.