We investigated the modulation of (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA)-induced increases in intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and intracellular free Mg2+ ([Mg2+]i) by cyclothiazide and GYKI 52466 using microspectrofluorimetry in single cultured rat brain neurons. AMPA-induced changes in [Ca2+]i were increased by 0.3-100 microM cyclothiazide, with an EC50 value of 2.40 microM and a maximum potentiation of 428% of control values. [Ca2+]i responses to glutamate in the presence of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists were also potentiated by 10 microM cyclothiazide. The response to NMDA was not affected, demonstrating specificity of cyclothiazide for non-NMDA receptors. Almost all neurons responded with an increase in [Ca2+]i to both kainate and AMPA in the absence of extracellular Na+, and these Na(+)-free responses were also potentiated by cyclothiazide. GYKI 52466 inhibited responses to AMPA with an IC50 value of 12.0 microM. Ten micromolar cyclothiazide significantly decreased the potency of GYKI 52466. However, the magnitude of this decrease in potency was not consistent with a competitive interaction between the two ligands. Cyclothiazide also potentiated AMPA- and glutamate-induced increases in [Mg2+]i. These results are consistent with the ability of cyclothiazide to decrease desensitization of non-NMDA glutamate receptors and may provide the basis for the increase in non-NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity produced by cyclothiazide.