The effects of iontophoretically applied (1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (1S,3R-ACPD), a metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist, were studied on extracellularly recorded neurons throughout the depth of the primary somatosensory cortex in the anaesthetized adult rat. Distinct excitatory effects were found almost exclusively in neurons recorded in layer V. Postsynaptic depressant effects dominated neurons recorded in layers I-IV. In layer VI, neurons were equally divided as to excitation and depression. Both the excitatory and postsynaptic depressant effects could be antagonized by the mGluR antagonist (RS)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine (MCPG). Experiments using bicuculline and several lines of analysis suggested that the postsynaptic depressant effects were mediated directly, rather than through disfacilitation. In a proportion of neurons 1S,3R-ACPD selectively depressed synaptically evoked responses (produced by vibrissa deflections), with little or no effect on the postsynaptic level of firing. Comparing the depressant effects of 1S,3R-ACPD with those of GABA supported a presynaptic mGluR site. Responses to centre and surround receptive field stimulation were depressed to the same extent, suggesting that thalamocortical and intracortical axon terminals are equally endowed with presynaptic receptors. In contrast to previous studies, the actions of L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4) were shown to be qualitatively different to those of 1S,3R-ACPD, in particular suggesting that the presynaptic depression produced by 1S,3R-ACPD is not mediated by L-AP4-type receptors. The functional implications of different mGluR actions in the primary somatosensory cortex are discussed.