The neuroprotective effects of a novel Group II metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist, LY354740, have been evaluated in a gerbil model of global ischaemia. When administered at 50 mg/kg, i.p., 30 min and 6 h after a 3 min period of bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCAO), the compound reduced the damage to CA1 hippocampal neurones to a significant level. However, when the ischaemic insult was made more severe, by increasing the period of occlusion to 4 and 5 min, the neuroprotective effects of LY354740 were reduced. From these findings, it would appear that Group II mGluRs may play a role in ischaemic damage in the gerbil hippocampus and that agonists at these receptors are potential neuroprotective agents.