The binding of (RS)-alpha-[3H]amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid ([3H]AMPA), a selective ligand for non-N-methyl-D-aspartate excitatory amino acid receptors, was investigated in rat brain using an autoradiographic receptor binding technique. [3H]AMPA binding sites were widely distributed throughout the rat central nervous system, and the rank order of potency of displacers of [3H]AMPA binding was quisqualate greater than AMPA greater than 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione = 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione greater than beta-N-oxalylamino-L-alanine greater than glutamate greater than kainate. Potassium thiocyanate (0-100 mM) exerted a 4-fold stimulation of [3H]AMPA binding, without changing the relative regional distribution of [3H]AMPA binding densities among rat brain regions. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium saturation binding revealed high affinity and low affinity components of [3H]AMPA binding, even in the absence of potassium thiocyanate. Addition of potassium thiocyanate increased the number of high affinity [3H]AMPA binding sites without a change in affinity. In addition, the number of low affinity [3H]AMPA binding sites was unchanged in the presence of potassium thiocyanate, but the affinity of low affinity [3H]AMPA binding was greatly increased. [3H]AMPA thus binds specifically to two affinity conformations of postsynaptic binding sites that appear to be interconverted with potassium thiocyanate. The pharmacologic profile of these sites is consistent with that of the ion channel-linked ("ionotropic") quisqualate/AMPA class of excitatory amino acid receptor in the rat central nervous system.