The effect of systemically administered phencyclidine (PCP) on the extracellular concentration of aspartate (Asp) and glutamate (Glu) in the rat anterior cingulate cortex was investigated using in vivo microdialysis. PCP significantly reduced the K+-evoked release of Asp and Glu, while it had no effect on the basal efflux of Asp and Glu. These results suggest that PCP might inhibit excitatory amino acid (EAA) release through an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated mechanism.