We investigated the roles of ionotropic glutamate receptor subtypes in the development and recovery of spontaneous nystagmus (SN) after unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) in guinea pigs. When administered at 3 h after UL, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate (KA), which are NMDA and non-NMDA receptor agonists, respectively, increased the frequency of SN. The effect of KA was more potent than that of NMDA. In contrast to these agonists, MK-801 and CNQX decreased the frequency of SN. Although the administration of KA at 48 h after UL increased the frequency of SN, it did not exhibit any effects at 72 h after UL. MK-801 caused a recurrence of SN following administration at 48 and 72 h after UL. Neither NMDA nor CNQX exhibited any effects after administration at 48 or 72 h after UL. A newly synthesized compound, NC-1200, which has inhibitory action on the glutamate response, decreased the frequency of SN in a dose-dependent manner following administration at 3 h after UL, but did not exhibit any effects when administered at 48 and 72 h after UL. From these results, it was found that NMDA and non-NMDA receptors play important roles in the development of SN after UL, and that the NMDA receptor contributes to the development of ocular motor compensation.