The effects of N 1-dansyl-spermine, a polyamine antagonist, and ifenprodil, a non-competitive N-methyl- d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, were investigated in the gerbil model of global cerebral ischaemia. Transient forebrain ischaemia was induced by 5-min bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries. N 1-dansyl-spermine (2, 5 and 10 mg/kg) and ifenprodil (30 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally 30 min after bilateral carotid artery occlusion. On histological examination, 4 days (96 h) after ischaemia, there was a significant decrease in neuronal density of the hippocampal CA1 subfield. This reduction in neuronal density was attenuated in those animals treated with the 5 or 10 mg/kg dose of N 1-dansyl-spermine and those treated with 30 mg/kg ifenprodil. However, unlike ifenprodil, N 1-dansyl-spermine failed to attenuate the ischaemia-induced increase in locomotor activity. This demonstrates that polyamines play a significant role in the neuronal damage produced after cerebral ischaemia, while casting doubt on the suggestion that increased locomotor activity correlates with CA1 pyramidal cell damage.