We have previously shown that D-cycloserine displaces [3H]glycine binding to a recognition site with properties consistent with an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor modulatory site. Additionally, D-cycloserine positively modulates the NMDA receptor as evidenced by its dose-dependent enhancement of [3H]1-[1-(2-thienyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine ([3H]TCP) binding to the NMDA receptor-coupled ionophore. Further evaluation of this compound indicates that the maximal stimulation of [3H]TCP binding induced by D-cycloserine is lower than that produced by other compounds acting at the NMDA receptor associated glycine modulatory site (glycine and D-serine). Moreover, the stimulation of [3H]TCP binding induced by D-cycloserine in the presence of various fixed concentrations of glycine results in a family of dose-response curves which asymptotically converge to 40-50% of the maximal stimulation induced by glycine alone. These results are consistent with D-cycloserine acting as a partial agonist of the NMDA receptor via its interaction with the coupled glycine modulatory site.