Compensatory recovery by the intact vagal innervation after unilateral vagotomy was investigated by measuring parasympathetic-mediated control of heart rate in beta-adrenergic-blocked rabbits. Direct contralateral vagal nerve stimulation produced greater bradycardia in anesthetized rabbits with chronic vagotomy compared with acutely vagotomized controls. Vagal stimulation during acetylcholinesterase inhibition by physostigmine and direct neuroeffector stimulation by methacholine indicated that a change in metabolism of the neurotransmitter or an increased sensitivity of the tissue to acetylcholine were not responsible for augmentation of vagal responses. Baroreflex control of heart rate in response to an increase in arterial pressure was also tested in urethan-anesthetized rabbits. There was a significant reduction in the prolongation of the R-R interval during baroreflex activation acutely after midcervical vagotomy. These values were subsequently above control levels in rabbits 28 days after vagotomy. In conscious rabbits, the decrease in baroreflex control of heart rate progressively recovered to control levels within 6 days. These results suggest that the recovery mechanism after unilateral vagotomy may be related to peripheral and central compensatory changes in the intact contralateral vagus nerve.