We investigated the contribution of L-, N-and P/Q-type Ca 2+ channels to the [Ca 2+ ] i changes, evoked by kainate, in the cell bodies of hippocampal neurons, using a pharmacological approach and Ca 2+ imaging. Selective Ca 2+ channel blockers, namely nitrendipine, x-Conotoxin GVIA (x-GVIA) and x-Agatoxin IVA (x-AgaIVA) were used. The [Ca 2+ ] i changes evoked by kainate presented a high variability, and were abolished by NBQX, a AMPA/ kainate receptor antagonist, but the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, D-AP5, was without effect. Each Ca 2+ channel blocker caused differential inhibitory effects on [Ca 2+ ] i responses evoked by kainate. We grouped the neurons for each blocker in three subpopulations: (1) neurons with responses below 60% of the control; (2) neurons with responses between 60% and 90% of the control, and (3) neurons with responses above 90% of the control. The inhibition caused by nitrendipine was higher than the inhibition caused by x-GVIA or x-AgaIVA. Thus, in the presence of nitrendipine, the percentage of cells with responses below 60% of the control was 41%, whereas in the case of x-GVIA or x-AgaIVA the values were 9 or 17%, respectively. The results indicate that hippocampal neurons differ in what concerns their L-, N-and P/Q-type Ca 2+ channels activated by stimulation of the AMPA/ kainate receptors.