The advantages and limitations of permanent or reversible deactivation techniques in the assessment of neural function

This review considers the different forms of reversible deactivation and ho w they differ from each other and from more conventional permanent deactiva tion methods. The different methods of chemical and cooling reversible inac tivation and the limitations of each are discussed. Finally, future directi ons in the: quest to localize brain function in the experimental animal are considered and how this work relates to emerging non-invasive imaging tech niques presently being used with humans. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.